


For Those We Masters Have Wronged

by awtuscany



Series: Kingdom Hearts and Found Families [3]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Badass Naminé (Kingdom Hearts), Child Soldiers, Except Ava, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Post-Kingdom Hearts III, Semi-Canon Compliant, Spite Fic, Student-teacher dynamic, The Master of Masters is insane, The power of friendship, all the characters who are alive are really there but some of them only get passing mentions, ava is done with the master of masters, ava is so fed up with using kids as soldiers, brain is strelitzia's killer implied, does using your own player character from union cross count as an oc?, fuck luxu, fuck the master of masters, fuck yen sid, headcannons, if so then original characters here, just sora and ava are, lauriam is gonna flip, minor spoliers for kingdom hearts III, no i don't really think this is going to be end game for KH it's just a fun fic, no more child soldiers, not completely complaint with the secret ending, riku is not also in the realms like sora is, salt fic, secret ending spoilers, she's the one causing the flipping out, some characters who are dead get mentions, subject x is skuld theory, the foretellers are gonna flip, ventus is gonna flip, what's in the black box
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-14
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-03-05 09:43:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 56,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18826114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awtuscany/pseuds/awtuscany
Summary: Sora wakes up in a familiar world in-between realms, he can feel his friend's hearts calling out to him to come home. He sets off to find a passage back to the realm of light. On his way, he meets a strange woman in a fox mask with a keyblade. She seems very upset to hear about a second keyblade war and insists on coming with Sora to the realm of light. Sora agrees(Or a spite fic because I'm tired of mentors making children into soldiers or betraying the trust of those who look up to them. Featuring Ava being done with The Master of Masters' shit and being done with making children do their dirty work, Sora and company as child soldiers who don't realize the horrible shit Yen Sid pulled. Ava adopting/teaching all these kids because someone has to.)





	1. Chapter One

### Chapter One

Sora recognizes the world he’s in, he’s been here once before but everything so overwhelming this time. Briefly, he considers trying to find Neku but he dismisses the idea quickly. He needs to get home to Kairi and Riku, they must be so worried for him. How could they not be when he just disappeared on them like that? There has to be a way back, he just needs to find it. After all, he did promise he would be back before they knew it. The lights are too bright and the buildings are too tall, but Sora presses onwards. He wonders briefly how long it will take for him to find a way back home. He dismisses the thought just as quickly. He can’t think about that right now, he needs to keep moving.

The streets are too loud. Everything is so different here than any of the other worlds he’s traveled to before. Maybe it was because he was asleep when he came here the last time but everything seems so overwhelming this time. He keeps his head down as he walks through the streets, he has to find a door back to the realm of light and soon. He can’t stay in this world between realms. He needs to find his way home. He’s not sure how he’s going to do that even after he gets back to the realm of light. He doesn’t have access to the gumiship, and he’s alone, just himself and his keyblade.

He takes a moment to rest, leaning against a wall in an alleyway. Quickly he checks over all of his belongings. The gummiphone! There’s no signal here but once he gets out of the sleeping realm it shouldn’t be too difficult to contact his friends. Hope fills his chest as he smiles. He swipes through the pictures on his phone, the smiling faces of his friends reassuring him as he does. If he focuses he can feel the connections to his friends. Kairi’s is the strongest, a tug on his heart pulling him back to her. Riku’s connect is almost as strong as Kairi. Ventus, Roxas, and Xion are extremely strong as well only overshadowed by the other bonds because of the fact he shared the paupu fruit with Kairi and Riku is Sora’s dream eater. All of his other connections are still intact, weaker by far than the others but strong enough that he can feel them out there.

It’s nice to be able to feel them. Just to be reassured that they’re all still out there. They all made it out alright and now they’re all just waiting for him to come back home. It’s without a doubt what’s keeping him together right now. He smiles, a wide, goofy grin as he always does and heads deeper into the alley. He’s not sure where he’s going. He just knows that he’s on his way to somewhere that is calling out to his heart. Maybe it will be a way out of here.

He doesn’t even have his keyblade out when the nightmares attack him. He’s shocked at first. Despite his combat experience, he wasn’t expecting an ambush of nightmares. He goes to summon his keyblade, but his reflexes are just a second too slow. He closes his eyes fully expecting a horrible wound. It never comes. He opens his eyes to see a keyblade blocking the nightmare’s attack. It’s white, pink, gold, and blue. With a heart symbol like the one’s on Terra and Aqua’s clothes on the head of the key and a fox near the handle. Sora blinks. He follows the keyblade to its wielder, a small woman with a fox mask and a pink cloak covering her hair, with a matching pink and white dress. The woman cuts down the nightmare and that's when Sora remembers that they’re still under attack. His keyblade is in his hand now and he lunges at the nightmares. The woman sends Firaga’s at them as Sora cuts them down with ease. Soon all the nightmares have been dispatched and the woman turns to Sora.

“Child,” she says, tilting her head. “You have a keyblade.”

“Yeah! So do you,” Sora says, leaning back with his hands behind his head.

“I do,” the woman agrees. “Do you know where we are, child?”

“Kind of,” Sora says. “I’ve been here before when I took my mark of mastery but it’s different this time.”

“What? Did you take the mark of mastery? You’re just a child!”

“Hey! I’m sixteen! Besides, I didn’t pass it. Still just a regular keyblade holder for now.”

“Why would any master allow one so young to take the mark of mastery,” the woman asks, she seems distressed, although it is hard to tell with the fox mask obscuring her face.

“Well… We didn’t have much choice. There was going to be another Keyblade War and we needed all seven guardians of light and someone needed to be able to use the Power of Waking to restore all the Seven Guardians. Even though I didn’t pass my test I did manage to acquire the Power of Waking.”

The woman frowns, shaking her head and muttering something under her breath she sighs, “You are so young. That’s a huge burden to have to bear. You shouldn’t have been expected to bear such a burden. Keyblade masters should not expect children to fight their wars for them. I had hoped… That after the Keyblade War, keyblade masters would be wiser than that.”

“The Keyblade War just ended and there aren’t that many masters,” Sora says, tilting his head in confusion. “Just King Mickey, Master Yen Sid, Master Aqua and my friend Riku.”

The woman stares at Sora, her fox mask not betraying her emotions as she stares for a long moment.

“Child,” she says.

“Sora, the name’s Sora!”

“Sora, then, I was talking about the first keyblade war.”

“But… That was years ago. As in, thousands of years ago.”

“I know,” the woman replies. “My name is Master Ava and I fought in the first Keyblade War... In fact, it was the fault of my Master that the Keyblade War happened at all. My Master… He was the first to wield a keyblade, to forge keyblades, and one day he gave my friends and I roles. Little did we know that the rolls he assigned were traps so that we would set the Keyblade War in motion. We did horrible things, Sora. I saved the children I could, sending them off to another place to survive the war, but so many more died. I want… I want to atone for those past mistakes. For following my Master so blindly. Children should never have to bear the burdens that my former friends and I placed on them. That whoever your master is placed on you.”

“But… If I didn’t fight the world would have been lost to darkness,” Sora says.

“Why? What would have stopped those masters you told me about, except Riku, I imagine he is also just a child, from bequeathing adults to fight with them? Why children?”

“We already had keyblades. We were already trained… Sure we trained ourselves for the most part, and Kairi and Axel both got training right before the war…”

“That does not make things any better, Sora.”

“The light of children saved the world once.”

“I know. I’m the one who protected those children and sent them off to a place where their light would survive. They were my Dandelions,” Ava replies. “Let me travel with you. You… Remind me of someone I knew from before the war. That aside, I have a goal that I need to get to the realm of light to achieve. If everything you say is true… It explains a lot of things I was wondering when I woke up here. Please, allow me to travel with you and train you. I know many secrets of the keyblade that may have been forgotten with time, or that perhaps you were never taught due to the circumstances of your training… Or lack thereof.”

“You did save me from those nightmares,” Sora says, rocking back on the balls of his feet. “I don’t really understand what you’re talking about with everything else but… Sure! We can find a way out together.”

“Thank you,” Ava says.

“Well,” Sora says, turning, “Let’s keep moving.”

“Let’s.”

The two keyblade wielders walk deeper into the alley, Sora following his heart as he and Ava wander the streets of the world. Occasionally the two get strange looks but Sora and Ava ignore them, they have more important things to deal with than if they stand out some in this world. Ava stops after a while, looking about.

“Master Ava,” Sora asks, stopping and looking at her. “Is there something wrong?”

“I… It’s nothing,” Ava says even as she looks around. “Just unused to this world I think.”

“Well, new worlds tend to be disorienting at first. Hopefully, we find a way out of here soon.”

Ava nods and the two continue on their way as Ava steals glances behind them as they go. A nightmare ambush has them fighting their way through once again, Sora watches in amazement as Ava wields magic with even more grace than Aqua. Magic freezing or burning or electrocuting enemies sometimes even before Sora can get to them. A nightmare catches Sora in his side and before he can even move to heal himself, Ava cuts down the nightmare and casts a quick Curaga on him. The power almost knocks him off of his feet but he steadies himself and looks at Ava in amazement. She smiles softly at him.

“We should keep moving, right Sora?”

Sora nods.

Ava lets Sora move in front of her, staying behind him and occasionally glancing over her shoulder as the pair walks. Sora also keeps glancing back, but not at the nothingness of the alleyways surrounding him, he keeps glancing back at Ava. He frowns slightly every time he does but he tries to smile when Ava turns back from glancing behind them and catches Sora staring at her.

“Yes Sora,” she asks, glancing behind her again.

“Master Ava, you seem very nervous.”

“I suppose I just… Something has me uneasy. I’m not sure what it is just yet, but I fear we’re being followed.”

“Well,” Sora says, looking past Ava into the darkness of the surrounding alleyway. “You’re a keyblade master and I’m pretty good with my keyblade! There’s no need to worry. Even if something is following us, we can take care of it together! After all, friends are the greatest power of all!”

“You consider us friends?”

“Mhmm,” Sora says with an excited nod. “You have a good heart! I can tell. So don’t worry, we can take whatever it is that’s following us!”

Ava smiles softly, then nods, glancing once again behind them before walking side by side with Sora down the alleyway.

“How do you know where we’re going Sora,” Ava asks at some point after the two have been walking through the winding alleys for some time.

“I don’t really,” Sora admits. “I’m following my heart! ‘May Your Heart Be Your Guiding Key!’”

Ava smiles sadly at that, “I suppose that is true. Our hearts are our guiding keys. If we’re following yours out then that’s what we’ll do. There’s a lot in the realm of light I want to do. I know it’s a long shot but I’d like to see if any of my Dandelion made it to your time. There’s also the fact I’m in this world, to begin with.”

“Yeah,” Sora says, hands in his pockets as they walk. “If you’re from the time before the first Keyblade War how did you end up here and now?”

“It was… Odd. I could feel myself being summoned somewhere, but instead of allowing myself to be summoned I fought it and ended up here.”

“Why?”

“I’m not sure, it’s just what my heart told me to do. I don’t know why it did or why I ended up here but I’m glad we meet.”

“I am too!”

Ava laughs a little as the two round a corner. It’s darker here than it was in the rest of the alleyways, darker than normal darkness, this wasn’t just the darkness that happens because of the night time, no this was The Darkness. Sora doesn’t hesitate and neither does Ava, they summon their keyblades and advance further into the darkness around them. Ava keeps a vigilant eye around them as they walk deeper into the darkness, striking down any nightmares that get too close to them long before Sora can even raise his keyblade. There’s a fury in her eyes whenever a nightmare gets too close to Sora and it’s always struck down by a Firaga before Sora can raise his keyblade against it. At the end of the alleyway, there’s a wall with a single door, black and purple smoke flows from the sides and bottom of the door. Sora and Ava exchange glances as they approach.

Suddenly from behind them there’s clapping, Ava and Sora spin around, keyblades readied as a man in a black organization cloak steps forward, the cloak obscures his face. Ava tenses next to Sora, hands gripping her keyblade so tight they turn white and her whole body is shaking as the figure walks towards them, clapping as he does.

“Well done,” the figure says, his voice playful and cheery.

“You,” Ava snarls.  
  
“Come now Ava,” the man says. “Is that any way to greet your master after he’s been missing for so long?”

“You stopped being my master a long time ago,” Ava answers, moving between Sora and her master. “What do you want?”

“To congratulate and thank Sora,” The Master of Masters replies. “After all, he did manage to find the door out of here way quicker than I would have expected. Although, I wasn’t expecting you to be here Ava. You should be with the other Foretellers, Luxu should have called you back to the keyblade graveyard.”

“So it was Luxu who tried to summon me!”

“Yes, he was supposed to gather all my apprentices, including you. If you refused his summons that was your choice. After all, it must have been what your heart told you to do. I won’t force you to come back, but I am going to need you to step aside so that I can go through that door. I’ve waited a long time to come back Ava, and not even my connection to you will prevent me from returning to the world.”

“I refuse,” Ava says, standing firm between The Master of Masters and the door, with Sora behind her and in front of the door. “I won’t let you back out into the world of light! You’ve caused enough damage.”

“The Keyblade War was inevitable Ava. Nothing you could have done could have prevented it, sure if I hadn’t given you all those rolls it would have taken longer to happen but what’s the point in delaying the inevitable? I helped save the world by informing you all ahead of time and having you create the Dandelions. It’s only thanks to those kids that the world of light even exists now.”

“What about this most recent Keyblade War Sora was telling me about,” Ava demands, “Was that inevitable as well?!”

The Master of Master places one hand behind his head and waves the other one. “I will admit the second keyblade war was entirely orchestrated by Luxu under my order so that I could return to the world of light. But it was also to bring you and the others back. Without the second Keyblade War, you wouldn’t be here and the others would still be lost in time.”

“I would rather be lost to darkness and nothingness than allow the world and children to suffer because of our mistakes,” Ava says, flicking her arm so that it’s stretched out at an angle away from her side, keyblade held onehanded and pointed at her master.

“I’m not going to fight you, Ava,” The Master of Masters says. “I’m not looking for a fight, I just want to return to the realm of light.”

“We aren’t going to let you,” Sora says, stepping out from behind Ava. “You’re the whole reason the keyblade wars happened! I won’t let you anywhere near the realm of light!”

“You two really think I’m going to fight you,” The Master of Masters asks and then laughs. “No. Why don’t you two take a nice nap… Don’t worry I’ll leave the door unlocked for you!”

Before either of them can react the master points at the two of them and Sora can feel the magic wrap around him, dragging him down, down, down into the familiar deep darkness of magical sleep. He falls to the ground. Ava starts to collapse, digging her keyblade into the ground to keep herself propped up, she glares at her former master even as her eyes grow heavy.

“I-I’m not going,” she slurs out, her eyes heavy, her body weak.

“Go to sleep now Ava,” The Master says, walking over and patting her head. “Maybe you’ll be more agreeable when you wake up.”

Her keyblade deforms under her and she falls, asleep long before her body hits the cold and unforgiving ground.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ava and Sora return to the world of light.

### Chapter Two

Ava’s eyes flutter open, and for a moment she doesn’t remember why she's laying on the ground. Then it comes rushing back to her all at once. She bolts to her feet and summons her keyblade. It's no use, The Master is long gone. Nearby, still on the ground fast asleep is Sora, and Ava breaths a sigh of relief. Sora was safe. She kneels down next to him and then she gently shakes his shoulders. He groans. Ava shakes him a little harder. Blue eyes flutter open.

"Master Ava," Sora says with a yawn. "What happened?"

"We were unfortunately put into an enchanted sleep before we could even attempt to stop him from returning to the world of light," Ava explains as she helps Sora to his feet. "I doubt we'll be able to track him down quickly at this point..."

She looks over to the door, it's still there. It looks exactly the same as when they found it before their unplanned magical nap. She smiles in pure relief. At least The Master kept his word and did not lock the door. They have not been trapped in this realm.

"At least the door is still there," she comments as she hesitantly approaches the door. "He said this was the way out... I don't exactly trust him but if he was following us to find this door then he was probably telling the truth."

"So... This door will lead us out of here!"

"That's the theory," Ava says as she opens the door. Inky nothingness greets her on the other side and she looks at Sora who smiles brightly.

"I think we should go through. We still need to stop that guy and I still have friends waiting for me!"

"Let's go," Ava says with a nod. She hesitates a moment but then she walks right through the door. It feels like she's falling but everything is completely black. She can't see anything, not even Sora. It's just blackness and the sound of wind rushing by her face. Closing her eyes she prays that Sora makes it through alright as she falls.

Splash!

Ava gasps as she swims upwards, cold and wet, as she blinks taking in her surroundings. The water she's in seems very deep, the trees seem to be growing out of the water, there are hundreds of glowing lights in the air and the water has a green tint to it.

"Sora," she yells, swimming towards one of the trees as she does. "Sora, where are you?!"

"Here," Sora replies. Ava follows the sound of his voice to see a small frog clinging to her robes.

"Why are you a frog," Ava questions as she picks him up carefully.

"It must be Donald's magic! It makes me take the form of whatever would be the best to blend in with the world."

"And that's a frog?"

"I guess," Sora replies, standing on his back legs. It's a strange sight, a talking frog standing up like a human. "I don't really know how the magic knows what to turn me into, it just does."

"How do we change you back?"

"We would just have to leave the world. Let me get the gummiphone and I'll call my friends. They'll come to get us!"

Sora looks at himself, his frog form is just a frog, his clothes are gone and he can't seem to find the gummiphone. His smile disappears.

"The gummiphone is missing, I don't know if it's because of the magic or if I dropped it at some point."

"It's alright," Ava assures him. "I can get us off this world using the keyblade."

"Great," Sora says but then he freezes, just across the water from them there are two other frogs surrounded by heartless, both the size of the frogs and regular sized heartless. "We have to help them!"

"What?"

Sora doesn't answer, instead, he leaps out of Ava's hand onto a nearby lily pad. He leaps across the lily pads until he reaches the other frogs. Ava watches in shock as Sora summons his keyblade, it's an odd sight. A frog standing on its hind legs and holding a keyblade. Ava recovers from her shock quickly and jumps back into the water, swimming over to Sora and the other two frogs.

"Sora," she scolds as she summons her keyblade. "You can't just rush off like that!"

"They need our help," Sora responds as he cuts down a small neoshadow with ease. "I can't just leave them to get their hearts stolen by heartless!"

"Okay," Ava says taking a steadying breath. She blocks an attack from a different neoshadow and then ripostes on the heartless, stabbing it through with her keyblade. She spins, slashing a neoshadow who was poised to step on Sora and unleashes a powerful aeroga. The heartless goes flying into the swamp.  Ava uses blizzaga to freeze the enemies, her keyblade smashes them to pieces with one powerful swipe. Carefully she kneels down on the roots of the tree and looks at Sora and the two other frogs.

"You weren't hurt were you," she asks Sora as she holds out her hand for him to walk onto. He jumps into her hand and shakes his head.

"I'm fine!"

"Please don't go rushing off into battle without me," she asks.

"I can handle it," Sora assures her.

"Hello," one of the two frogs says from the ground. "Yes, we're still down here. Thank you for saving us."

"Oh," Ava says, cheeks dusted in pink. She had forgotten about the other people in the area. "You're welcome."

"No problem," Sora says.

"I'm Tiana," the second frog introduces herself.

"And I am Prince Naveen," the first frog says with a bow. "I am sure you were able to tell with how quickly you rushed into battle to save me."

"Never heard of you," Sora responds.

Prince Naveen looks as crushed as a frog can look. Tiana rolls her eyes at him.

"I don't suppose you're also a human who got turned into a frog," she asks Sora.

"Something like that," Sora replies.

"We're going to see Mama Odie, to see if she can help us get back to humans," Tiana says. "You're welcome to come along, we just have to find our friends. We all got separated when those monsters attacked."

"We'll help," Sora agrees before Ava can protest.

"Thank you! One of our friends is an alligator and the other is a firefly, they shouldn't be too hard to find."

Ava reluctantly goes back into the water as Sora hopes along the lily pads. She does her best to stay close to him. With the other two frogs hopping alongside Sora they move deeper into the swamp.

"Louis! Ray," Tiana calls. "It's safe now! You can come out!"

The swamp doesn't answer and Ava pulls herself out of the water onto the roots of another tree to rest for a moment. Her clothes are completely soaked but hopefully, they would be able to get out of this swamp sooner rather than later.

"Miss Tiana," a small glowing bug says coming out from behind a tree. "All those monsters are gone."

"Yes," Tiana answers. "Our new friends took care of them."

"Hello," Sora says and Ava nods at the bug.

A huge alligator comes up from under the water, Ava drawls her keyblade but relaxes when Tiana greets the alligator.

"Louis. All the monsters are gone thanks to these two," Tiana says, gesturing to Ava and Sora.

"Hello," Ava greets, deforming her keyblade.

"Hi," Sora says with his usual grin. "I'm Sora and that's Master Ava."

"What were those monsters," Tiana asks. "And how did you get rid of them?"

"Those were heartless," Sora explains. "They're made from the darkness in people's hearts. Ava and I have special weapons made to destroy the heartless. We should probably stay in case more heartless show up!"

Ava sighs but nods, "The heartless are dangerous."

"Louis says you can ride on his back while we head to Mama Odie's," Tiana says to Ava who hesitantly gets on the back of the alligator.

The ride through the swamp is quiet, with Sora sitting on Ava's shoulder as they ride along on the back of the alligator. Ava occasionally glances at Sora. Who allowed this poor child to think throwing himself into danger again and again is the only way to make sure others are safe? What had happened to him that he felt he had to be the one to rush into danger? Ava isn't sure. He doesn't talk about it and Ava isn't going to push him to talk about it right now. Instead, she's going to support him. If he is going to throw himself into danger than Ava is going to be right there next to him. If Sora had been born before they first keyblade war Ava is sure she would have made him a dandelion. His heart is strong and filled with light.

"I wonder where the heartless are coming from in this world," Sora muses. "Do you think that guy is behind it? The one from before?"

"It's hard to say what he's capable of," Ava replies. "Once I would have told you there was no way The Master would use darkness like that but that was before. I know better now. It's very possible that the heartless in this world are somehow connected to my old master."

"He really hurt you," Sora says.

Ava nods.

"He did... I looked up to him, he was my mentor, he was like a father to me and the other apprentices. He gave us our keyblades, forged them from our hearts. He was the very first Keyblade Master. I trusted him more than anyone else. One day he gave us books that said the world was going to end. He also gave us all certain roles to play. We followed him blindly. Then he disappeared. We fell apart without him. My friend, Gula and I became desperate and tried to find him. I found Luxu, another of the Master's apprentices instead. He... He explained to me what his role was and what The Master's true plan was. That's when I learned that my Master was never to be trusted."

"Maybe he had a good reason for doing it?"

"His actions lead to the death of thousands of keyblade wielding children and caused my family to be torn apart. It also plunged the world into darkness. No reason could outweigh that."

Sora goes quiet on Ava's shoulder. Ava feels the familiar crawl of guilt creep up her spine.

"My Master did horrible things in the past," Ava tells Sora. "I do not want him to be allowed to do horrible things to this time. I am angry at him but I cannot bring myself to hate him. He brought my friends and me together. That I suppose is something that was a good thing. I do hope that my friends will be able to break free of my Master's manipulation."

"I think they can, after all, they have a friend like you to lead them back."

It's Ava turn to go quiet, she hadn't thought of it like that. She still cares deeply for the others, even now she wishes they all could have prevented the war, but they all made horrible mistakes... Ava herself still needs to seek redemption for the misdeeds she committed.

Something moves in the water, Ava stares into it, watching carefully as a fin pushes up breaking the surface of the water. Whatever that fin belongs to is coming after them fast. Ava carefully takes Sora and puts him down on the back of the alligator.

"Stay here!"

Her keyblade appears in her hand just as the Ferocious Fins jumps out of the water. Ava jumps, meeting the Ferocious Fin in the air.

"Go," Ava says as she clashes in the air with the beast. "I'll catch up later! Get out of here!"

Sora goes to jump into the water but Tiana and Prince Naveen hold him back as Louis swims away as quickly as he can. Ava slashes the Ferocious Fins with her keyblade. It roars at her. It takes a swipe with its jagged fins. The swipe catches Ava in the stomach. She goes flying into a nearby tree. She rolls out of the way when the Ferocious Fins throws its body down right where she had been moments before. She stands on unsteady feet and points her keyblade upwards.

"Thundaga!"

Bolts of yellow lightning clash from the sky into the monster. It howls in rage as Ava calls another thundaga. The Ferocious Fins charges at Ava and Ava jumps out of the way. She turns in the air and lets her body fall, keyblade first, into the beast. It burst into shadows.

Carefully Ava stands on the roots of the tree. Her breathing is shallow. She takes a breath.

"Heal," she says softly, placing a hand over her wound. It's easier to breathe now and the pain disappears. "How am I going to get out of this swamp?"

She looks around, there's nothing but swamp water and trees as far as she can see. She jumps from the tree she's standing on to the next.

"Sora!"

"Sora," her echo replies.

"Sora!"

"Ava, please. He's probably already found that Voodoo Queen by now," someone answers.

Ava spins around to the source of the voice. Standing in the branches of a nearby tree is a cloaked figure, Ava stares at them for a moment. It's not The Master, she would know his voice anywhere, but she's unsure she knows this person even if they do know her name.

"Who are you," she demands, pointing her keyblade at them.

"Come on, Ava, you know who I am," they taunt.

It clicks.

"Luxu!"

"I already did this whole spiel once," Luxu replies. "But I don't exactly go by that name anymore. It's Xigbar now. I honestly didn't think you made it back."

"I didn't answer your summons, that doesn't mean I didn't make it at all. It just means I find your company unsavory."

"Master told me you had made it when he came back," Luxu admits. "We haven't told the others yet, it's not too late to come back."

"I'm not coming back," Ava says. "I'm following my heart and not the Master. You're the one who told me the Master's plan! Do you really think after knowing what I know I'd follow him a second time?"

"I know you won't. But Master is still holding out hope that you'll return to us."

"I'm not going to. I've made up my heart and my mind. I am going to make amends for what happened during the keyblade war. I'm going to see if any of my Dandelions are still around and I'm going to keep them safe this time. Leave Luxu, unless it's a fight you're after."

"The Master told me not to engage in battle with you," Luxu says as he pulls the hood away from his face and summons his keyblade. "But I don't care what the master said this time. You owe me a rematch from the last time we fought."

He flys at her from the tree, his keyblade clashing against hers as she blocks the attack. She jumps back and hurls a firaga at him before jumping into the branches of her tree. He blocks with his keyblade and gives chase into the tree. She blasts him with an aeroga which hits dead on and sends him crashing out of the tree. He hits the water hard. She casts a quick blizzard freezing most of the water.

Woosh!

A fireball from under the water melts the ice and Luxu flys out of the water. Ava blocks his attack at the last second. The power of the attack pushes her up against the trunk of the tree. She growls as she pushes back against his keyblade with her own. She breaks the two keyblades apart and casts reflect as he goes in for another attack. He hits her reflect with his attack and while he's recovering she hits him with another aeroga. He flys away from her with the force of the blast. Ava readies her keyblade for another round when he jumps into a different tree. A corridor of darkness appearing behind him he smirks at Ava.

"I think that's enough for me," he says. "I have other places to be aside from playing games with you Ava. Before I go, you really should keep a better eye on the kid. He does have the tendency to get into trouble the very second you take your eyes off of him."

Ava's blood runs cold as he retreats into the corridor of darkness. She jumps away through the trees, heart pounding in her chest as she does.

"Sora!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen the Ava's only got three goals, find her dandelions, keep Sora safe and stop whatever plans MoM and Luxu have. Sora deciding to jump into danger to save complete strangers is not part of the plan but she's going to roll with it. Getting to beat the shit out of Luxu is just a perk.


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our adventure with Sora and Ava continues.

### Chapter Three

By the time Sora managed to pull away from Prince Naveen and Tiana they were already too far from Ava for him to try and get back to her. Frustrated he sits down on the back of Louis and glares out into the swamp.

"I could have helped her," he mutters. "She didn't have to go in facing that thing alone."

"I can understand wanting to help," Naveen says. "But that thing was way bigger than us! Even with that weapon of yours, I don't think you'd be much help. Besides, she seems very capable. With you being a frog you'd probably just get in the way!"

"Gee, thanks."

Tiana pushes Naveen out of the way and sits next to Sora. She places one of her hands on Sora's shoulder she gazes out across the water in silence with him for a moment.

"She can handle herself. She must trust you to take care of yourself and us," Tiana reasons with him after a moment. "She knows you're capable as well and she trusts you to take care of things she can't."

"I don't know," Sora says gazing up at the stars filtering through the trees. "I want to believe that, but I don't... We haven't been friends for very long so I don't know what she's thinking. I do know that she's been hurt and she needs a friend right now. I know that I needed a friend when I lost everything. I know what loss feels like and I want to help her."

"Sometimes people don't need help. They know how to take care of themselves and don't need someone else to take care of it for them. Some people know what they want and go out there to get it themselves."

"Those people still need others to help them," Sora argues. "They need support for when something happens. Master Ava is going through a lot right now. I can feel it. I want to be there to support her but I feel like she won't let me."

"Well, just remember that sometimes people need space to work things out on their own."

A silence fills the air as they continue on their way through the swamp. Sora closes his eyes and focuses. He can feel his friends clearly now. All of them. They feel worried. Sora understands. He disappeared into nothingness on the beach. He can barely believe he's still alive himself. He was fully willing to accept that he would fade to nothingness when he felt himself being pulled away from the islands. King Mickey had warned him there was a chance he would lose himself if he used the power of waking to get Kairi back. He was more than willing to let that happen.

All of his friends would have been safe. The worlds would have been safe. The threat of Kingdom Hearts and Xehanort was over. They wouldn't have to worry about any of that. If he was the price that had to be paid for his friend's happy ending than so be it. They were his strength and for them, he would be that catalyst of peace. It didn't happen like that though. He was still here. He made a new friend!

'I wonder what Master Yen Sid will have to say about me finding a keyblade master in the sleeping realm,' Sora wonders to himself. 'I wonder if everyone else has run into Master Ava's master or any of her friends... If they have I hope they're okay. Master Ava is strong and I can't imagine that her friends or her master are weak.'

Sora glances over at Tiana and Naveen who are talking to each other and Sora smiles. They're something special, Sora can feel it. Suddenly heartless appear all around them, Sora summons his keyblade and stands ready to fight. Before he can attack any of the heartless bolts of light hit them each in turn and they hiss as they disappear. A little old woman appears on the edge of a nearby shore, she's dressed all in white and there's a snake wrapped around her shoulders.

"Who's been making deals with the shadow man," she demands, looking at their little group.

"I have," Naveen admits. "We were hoping you would be able to help us get back to our human forms..."

"Well come on! Let's see what Mama Odie can do for you!"

Sora follows after with Tiana, Louis, Naveen, and Ray. The group follows Mama Odie into a treehouse where Mama Odie sits them down.

"So. What can I do for you all?"

"Tiana, Sora and I would like to be human again," Naveen explains. "We were hoping you'd be able to help us get back to our human forms."

"I see. Well... You all aren't the first to come to me asking for help for something like this. The answer is always simpler than it seems. You need to dig a little deeper."

"Excuse me?"

"Everything you need is right before you, you just need to understand it! Prince, you were rich once and you're looking to be rich again."

"Yes!"

"Well, how is that going to help you? If the money didn't make you happy then how is it going to make you happy now? You need to look deeper. Recognize what you have and practice some self-control, the path to be who you need to be is closer than you think," Mama Odie says with a wink as Naveen glances at Tiana.

"Now, Miss Froggie. Your daddy was a loving man who loved his family through and through. You're your daddy's daughter, what he had is in you too. Just dig a little deeper, see what's right in front of you and you'll get everything you wanted. You understand?"

"Yes! I have to dig a little deeper and work twice as hard to get my restaurant."

Mama Odie shakes her head and then looks to Sora.

"You, young frog, are a difficult one. A hero in your own right, you almost gave up everything shouldering the weight of the world. The light inside you is great and guides you to do what you feel is right. You want to help others, a noble pursuit in itself, but remember to dig a little deeper and see what else can be done. Your friends rely on you but who do you rely on? When it comes time to put everything on the line again who do you depend on? Dig a little deeper and see what I mean? Dig a little deeper and understand what can be done?"

"My friends are my power," Sora responds brightly. "All of my power comes from them so it's only fair I'm always there to help them! I trust that they'll help me when if I ever feel like I need them."

Mama Odie sighs in disappointment and then turns back to Prince Naveen.

"In order to break the shadow man's spell, you're going to need to kiss a princess. An actual princess."

"Where are we going to find one of those," Tiana asks.

Mama Odie waves her hand over her bathtub, Sora laughs a bit, not the strangest thing he's ever seen. A picture of a blond woman in a dress appears she's talking to her dad and Tiana's eyes widen.

"Charlotte's the princess of the Mardi Gras Parade! That counts?"

"Only until midnight, so you all better get a move on and get out there if you wanna be human again."

The group nods and heads off into the night.

Meanwhile, Ava's been running around in circles for what feels like forever. It doesn't help that it seems like every time she turns a corner there's another heartless attack. She slices through another neoshadow, which disappears as her keyblade goes through it.

"I bet Luxu is sending all these heartless after me," she says out loud to the swamp. "He always was a sore loser."

She sits down in the branches of a tree and groans. This is getting her absolutely nowhere, the swamp is endless and there's been no sign of Sora. She stands and takes a breath to calm herself before holding a hand over her heart.

"May my heart be my guiding key," she mutters to herself before jumping through the trees.

A group of Shadow Witches appears as she lands in the next three. Ava growls as she sends a thundaga raining down on them. She follows it up quickly with a blizzaga and then stabs her keyblade through the closest frozen witch. The Shadow Witch burst apart as she twirls and slashes through a second Shadow Witch. The rest thaw out and send blasts of dark magic towards her. She rolls out of the way, misjudging the distance and falling down to a lower branch of the tree. The Shadow Witch pursue, blasting dark energy at her as she blocks, jumps and twirls out of the way. She jumps up, guiding in the air as she twirls into a firaga which hits one of the witches dead on. Only two left as Ava slams the handle of her keyblade into one and then spins and stabs the other. They disappear into nothingness as Ava lands carefully on the tree branch. She takes off again, unsure exactly where she's going but knowing there has to be a way out of the swamp at some point.

After a brief time she sees a break in the tree line, she hurries towards it, finding a river. Across and down the river she sees the lights of a town. Ava frowns.

"Do I head towards the town or do I head back into the swamp," she mutters to herself as she watches a boat start to pass by. She hesitates a moment and then jumps down onto the boat. No one notices they're all wrapped up in music and dancing.

'Maybe there's a party going on,' she thinks to herself as she wanders around the boat.

No one seems to notice her, no one comments on her appearance, although in all honesty, she doesn't stand out that much here. Everyone seems to be wearing masks and costumes of all kinds.

"Nice outfit," someone says as she walks past. She nods respectfully in response and hurries on. She reaches a deserted part of the ship and sighs as she stares out across the water. Sora is still missing and she doesn't feel any closer to finding him than she did before. She can only trust that he's alright and hasn't gotten into any trouble. She's not paying attention when the boat announces that they'll be docking soon, instead, she's staring out across the water, which is how she sees the neoshadows carrying away that frog! The one who introduced himself as a prince! He's struggling against them as best as he can but he doesn't seem to be making any progress, Ava doesn't see Sora with him but she's not taking any chances. She jumps and then glides in the air after them. She follows them as the head inside a chimney, quickly she heads to the window and peaks inside. A small fat man, a man in purple with a large hat with a skull with a moving shadow, and Luxu are in the room.

"I thought I told you to bring me the kid and the prince," Luxu yells at the neoshadows, they blink at him. "You're going to have to track down the kid, Dr. Facilier. I've still got to catch my old friend."

"All in due time," the man in purple, Dr. Facilier, answers. "First, we need a little of the prince's blood."

Dr. Facilier uses a talisman of some kind to turn the fat man into a beautiful prince with the help of Naveen's blood. Ava watches as Dr. Facilier locks Naveen in a box in a cabinet and then the three men leave the room. Ava rushes around to the other side of the building, watching as the fake prince gets into a car and drives off with Dr. Facilier and Luxu calls up a dark corridor. He pauses, looking around and Ava backs up further behind the building. She summons her keyblade and waits. Nothing.

She deforms her keyblade and sighs. He didn't see her after all. Ava collapses, shivering as she does.

"That was too close," she mutters to herself as she clenches her hands into fists. "He's after Sora... I can't let Luxu get to him..."

She stands up and looks towards the window, a thoughtful look in her eyes as she hurries around to the front of the building. The door is unlocked and she heads inside. The only sound Ava can hear is the soft sound of something hitting against something else. Unsure where she's actually heading she opens every door she comes across.

"Prince Naveen," she calls out softly in each room.

As she opens another door she notices the small frog and firefly trying to get up to where the box is. Hope fills her chest.

"Sora," she says.

Sora turns and smiles at her.

"Master Ava! You're alright!"

"I am. Let me help you with that."

It's an easy thing to do, open the box and let the prince out. Sora beams at her.

"I'm going to go get that talisman," Ray announces. "You two get the prince to Charlotte so the curse can be undone."

"Got it," Sora says as Ava picks him up and places him on her shoulder. She hesitantly does the same for the prince. "We're going to find Charlotte, she should be at the parade or the church."

Ray flies off as Ava sprints out of the building with Sora and Prince Naveen safely on her shoulders. She runs with Sora giving her instructions on where to go. It's easy enough to navigate her way through the streets with Sora giving her instructions on where to go. She turns a corner and freezes, a hooded figure blocks their path and Ava knows exactly who it is.

"Sora," she says through gritted teeth, "I need you and Prince Naveen to head out on your own from here."

"What? Why?"

"That's Luxu and he's after me and you. Someone has to get the prince to Charlotte and it's going to have to be you. I'm not letting Luxu go again." She places Sora down on the ground and ten steps towards Luxu, placing a magical barrier up between Sora and herself. "Go!"

Sora hesitates but then he takes off with Prince Naveen. Ava's keyblade is in her hand in an instant, her body tense and her teeth clenched.

"The Master told me to bring you back whatever it takes Ava," Luxu warns. "I don't think he'll care too much if you come back a little broken."

"You're the one who's going to be returning broken Luxu!"

She rushes him. Rushing headlong into battle has never been Ava's MO and Luxu is taken off guard. Her keyblade slashes him across the arm, then hits him in the stomach and then across his face. Luxu jumps back. Ava screams unleashing a powerful firaga as she does. Luxu barely manages to roll out of the way. Ava doesn't let up her attack, summoning a thundaga and then a blizzaga in quick succession. She charges again, jumping and spinning in the air as her keyblade comes crashing down. He blocks with his keyblade, grunting as he does. Ava kicks his legs out from under him. He falls to the ground, Ava's keyblade to his throat.

"Stay away from me and Sora," Ava says. "I'm only warning you and the Master once. Come near us again and I won't hesitate next time. Now get out of here."

Luxu glares up at her, a corridor of darkness appearing under him. He begins to sinks down into it as Ava jumps back to avoid being pulled in as well.

"I'll be seeing you, Ava. Don't think you can get rid of us that easily. We're family you know," Luxu taunts before disappearing into the dark corridor. Ava frowns and then turns and hurries off. She reaches the church and sighs in relief to see Sora sitting on the steps with a blond woman, Charlotte, and Naveen.  Ava heads over as Tiana comes over as well. Charlotte picks up Naveen and kisses him, but nothing happens. A well somewhere tolls, it's midnight.

"Does this mean you'll be frogs forever," Sora asks.

"Even as frogs we'll be fine," Tiana assures him. "Because we're together."

"I hope everything works out for you," Ava says as she picks up Sora. "But we have to leave now. I have my own idea of getting Sora back to human."

"We wish you luck," Naveen says as he holds Tiana's hand. "Come back and visit us sometime!"

"I will," Sora assures them and waves goodbye.

Ava turns into an alleyway and points her keyblade ahead of her. A lane in-between opens up.

"This is our ride," she tells Sora.

"Then let's go!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ava was not messing around in that fight. If she so much as hears MoM or Luxu again she's going to murder them.  
> Next chapter we get to see Luxu's dealing with MoM and the other foretellers when he comes back injured from the fight with Ava. We'll also be continuing our arch of Ava and Sora getting lost in different Disney worlds.
> 
> On an unrelated note; all the chapters in this series were written instead of sleeping. I have no idea if I will keep up this very bad habit.


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ava finds a familiar face.

###  Chapter Four

Xigbar appears back in The Grey Room. It's not the most ideal to be using The Castle that Never Was for their hideout but it was the only place Xigbar and the Master of Masters could both agree on. He stands on unsteady feet. There's no one else around it seems, which is a good thing. The others would ask too many questions if they were to see him in this state. Blood drips from his arm and his face and if it wasn't for the black of his robe his midsection would also be stained red. Ava really managed to get him good this time. The ferocity of her attacks was unexpected. Even back then she hadn't attacked him with such intent to kill. 

'I wonder if she would have run her keyblade through my throat,' Xigbar wonders as he collapses into a chair. 

"Luxu," a shocked voice says. 

Xigbar looks up to see a shocked Invi staring at him. He scowls. 

"It's nothing," he says before she can ask. "Just got into an unexpected fight."

"I'm not as good as Ava," Xigbar hopes that his flinch isn't obvious, "When it comes to healing but I can try to close those wounds for you," Invi offers. 

Xigbar hesitates and then nods. Invi's conviction to the Master is all that matters, if she were to learn of Ava being alive she would listen to whatever the Master tells her to do. Invi's magic flows over him. It's different than Ava's magic. Ava's magic is more controlled, precise and calculated. Invi's is wilder. It's made for the elemental magics more so than anyone else Xigbar has ever met and like the elements, it doesn't take to control very well. The heal she cast is weaker than what Ava could have done if she wasn't the one who caused his wounds, but still, it does the job well enough. The wound on his face and arm heal completely. The one on his stomach closes but Xigbar can still feel it there. It's better than what he could have expected from the Master when he hears of Xigbar's failure to bring Ava back. 

"I have to go see the Master," Xigbar tells Invi as he stands, still unsteady. "I have to give my mission report to him."

"Are you sure you'll be alright to get there yourself?"

"I'll be fine. Just... Stay away from the Master's room while I talk to him. The mission didn't go smoothly and it was vital I succeed in it."

"But you didn't"

"Not even close. Got into a fight with the person I was supposed to be bringing in and as you can see, they managed to do a number on me," Xigbar says as he starts walking away.

"Should I be worried about them when I go on my missions?"

Xigbar pauses, he looks over his shoulder at Invi. Her snake mask betrays nothing about her emotional state or what she may be thinking. The silence looms as Xigbar thinks over Invi's question. They've been careful not to send the other foretellers to any worlds that those brats, the king or his little friends know of, but it's different with Ava and Sora. Ava has no way of knowing what worlds she's navigating to when she opens the lanes in-between, she could end up on any world. Sora's not going to be able to contact his little friends anytime soon, The Master made sure of that when he stole the boy's gummiphone. 

"They won't attack you unless you attack them first," Xigbar finally answers. "We just have a bad history and they weren't happy to see me."

"I see," Invi replies. 

"I've got to go," Xigbar says with a wave. "I'll see you around Invi."

Xigbar leaves the room and walks the halls of the Castle that Never Was. It's quiet. He glances around as he walks down the hall. Invi is in the Grey Room but where is everyone else? It doesn't really matter, they're probably out on missions of their own. Xigbar waltz into the Master's room. The Master looks up from the book he's writing, as he spots Xigbar he closes the book and places down his pen. With the hood covering The Master's face Xigbar can't be sure what he's thinking.

"You're back."

"I am."

"I'm guessing by the blood on your face that you didn't succeed in catching Ava and Sora?"

"She was very resistant to coming back with me. She also sent the brat off before I could even attempt to capture him."

"I hoped that she would eventually come back on her own. But then you decided to disobey my orders and engage her in a fight." There's a cold edge to The Master's words. If Xigbar hadn't lived thousands of lifetimes and been Xehanort and Xemnas' right-hand man he may have flinched at the tone. If Xigbar was the Luxu of before the first keyblade war he would have felt something more than the irritation he feels now. He's not a child.

"She engaged me in battle first," Xigbar lies easily. "I was merely defending myself."

"Do not think that your long life has made me unable to tell when you're lying," The Master of Master warns. "Ava is a necessary part of a grander whole. Her following her heart would not have been a problem if you hadn't engaged her. She would have eventually come back to us on her own terms, but now I have to take drastic measures to get her back."

"I don't see why Ava is so necessary," Xigbar scowls. "We just need the x-blade from the brat and that's that."

"Just as the box holds hope so does Ava. Our plan cannot come to fruition with Ava opposing us. Not that she would be opposing us in the first place had you played your role correctly."

"Don't give me that shit," Xigbar snaps, pointing a finger at The Master. "You knew exactly what was going to happen on that hilltop. You knew that Ava and I's fight would be the first of the keyblade war. You knew that Ava was going to be the one to make that bell ring and ignite the fire that started everything. You gave Gula that page to know who the traitor was and you're the one who planted the idea of a nightmare equaling a traitor in all of their minds."

"You were meant to play your role as I explained it to you, you were not meant to tell Ava the whole truth. Ava straying from my teachings is your fault Luxu."

"So what if Ava's a traitor. We'll get along just fine and find someone else to fill the seventh slot. No need to go dragging her back and forcing her to get along with your plan. We'll just get rid of her."

Outside the door, to the Master's room, Aced's eyes widen. He hadn't planned on eavesdropping. He was merely coming to the Master's room because he had been summoned to receive his next assignment. But what he just heard. What Luxu just said. Ava... Ava was alive, she had made it back just like they all had, and she was the one who betrayed them. Luxu just said so. Aced clenches his hands into fists which shake at his side. Ava was gathering those strong keyblade wielders, those dandelions, of course, she was the traitor. It all makes sense now. Clearly, the Master has some plan for Ava still. Luxu doesn't seem to agree with whatever that plan is. Aced growls and stalks off.

"Ava's only a traitor because of you," The Master says moments after Aced leaves. "She fulfilled her role before the first keyblade war perfectly. If you had not betrayed my trust in you she would still be among our ranks and we would not need to be worrying about bringing her back. Now get out. Track down Ava and bring her back. And if you see Aced tell him I need to see him. I asked Gula to do it but those two still aren't getting along."

"Fine."

Meanwhile, when Sora and Ava immerge from the lanes in-between they're in an alleyway, although they don't seem to be in the same alleyways they were in when they first meet. This alleyway is different. Sora and Ava exchange glances before walking out of the alley together. As they exit the alleyway a young woman walks past. Long black hair flows down her face and brown eyes are focused on where she's going. Ava takes a step back, then she rushes after the alley after the woman. Sora tilts his head and then rushes after Ava. 

The two follow the woman to a stone building, the sign '6th Street Orphanage' hangs near the entrance. The woman enters the building and Ava runs to follow but Sora grabs her hand. 

"Master Ava, we cannot just go running into an orphanage," Sora explains. "Do you even know who that woman is?"

"I can't be sure but I think it's one of my dandelions," Ava says, looking at the door the orphanage. "If it is who I think it is that means the others could be alive as well and I owe it to them to at least make sure they are all safe."

"Who were the Dandelions," Sora asks as Ava takes a seat on the steps of the orphanage.

"They were keyblade wielders. Children who were strong of heart and wanted to live in a world where all keyblade wielders could get along. Before the keyblade war, keyblade wielders were divided into unions. The unions fought over collecting light. I was the leader of one of these unions and I also created the Dandelions at the request of my Master. The Dandelions were from all unions and were all filled with light. They also were children who questioned why the unions fought over light and why unions couldn't team up. They were children who wanted to know what the world was really about. I took those children and sent them off to another realm before the keyblade war so that they could survive and the worlds could continue after the war. I don't know if any of that is true though, because it was all planned out by my master. I have no idea if any of them survived. But that woman... She looked exactly like one of my dandelions." 

"I hope all of them made it out okay," Sora tells Ava.

"I do too. You remind me of one of them. He was a little younger than you if I remember correctly. He wasn't exactly the strongest fighter but he was kind. His heart was filled with such kindness. I... I don't think all of the things I did in the past was the best. But I'll accept whatever comes my way as long as those kids all made it out alright. I... There's a lot of things that happened that I regret Sora."

"You're trying to make up for it now right? I don't know what happened back then but I know you have a good heart, Master Ava. You're trying to make up for what you did back then and that's more than some people ever do!" 

"You're very wise for your young age. I don't know if anything I do can make up for the mistakes of what I've done. But I hope that whatever happens from here I can prevent my old Master from causing the same damage he caused to my time to yours. You deserve a world free of the horrors of the past I may not know what the Master of Masters is planning but I'm not going to let him get away with it this time. The world and the children in it deserve better. Including you, Sora."

The door to the orphanage opens up and Ava jumps to her feet. The woman from earlier comes out along with a young boy with blond hair that is strangely standing straight up. The woman's eyes widen at the sight of Ava and she turns to the boy.

"Hey, you go ahead Louis," she says. "I'll meet you at the science fair later."

But-"

"Don't worry about it," she insists. "I wouldn't miss you showing off  your invention for the world."

"Okay," Louis says before he drags a wagon with something covered in a sheet down the steps. 

"Master Ava," the woman says with a soft smile. "I never thought I would see you after the war."

"So it is you, Skuld."

"Mhmm," Skuld answers. "I didn't... I didn't even know my name until recently. It just... Came back to me one day. I spent years not knowing who I was, not even my name, and then one day it all just came rushing back."

"I guess that means you haven't seen any of the other dandelions," Ava assumes.

"None of them," Skuld confirms. "I was found in the middle of a courtyard in a world called Radiant Gardens, and the people in that castle locked me in a cage. They gave me the name 'X' and all I could recall was the idea of a key and four friends. One day one of the people who worked there took me away and brought me to this orphanage. I stayed here until I turned 18 and aged out of the system. I still come back to see the kids I grew up around. Like Louis." 

"Oh! I know Radiant Gardens," Sora says. "Do you know Ansem the Wise? Oh, what about Axel... Although I think his name was Lea back then!"

Skuld blinks.

"Who's this?"

"This is Sora," Ava introduces. "I've been traveling with him."

"Master Ava saved me from nightmares," Sora explains. "I was a little distracted and didn't pull out my keyblade fast enough to save myself."

"He reminds you of Ven doesn't he," Ava says before Skuld can say anything.

"Yeah," Skuld agrees.

"Ven? As in Ventus?"

"You know Ventus," Ava questions. 

"Yeah! He's one of my friends and he fought in the second keyblade war as one of the guardians of light with me and he was asleep in my heart for a long time," Sora explains.

"Okay," Ava and Skuld say at the same time, nodding in confusion.

"Why didn't you say you knew him sooner," Sora questions. "I could have told you he was alright."

"I had no idea you knew him," Ava says. "I'm glad he's alright..."

"If Ventus is one of your dandelions does that mean he's from before the first keyblade war?"

"Yes."

"Wow! He never said."

"He probably didn't remember," Skuld says. "I didn't until recently."

"I'm trying to get back to my friends and Ventus is one of them, so as soon as we get back you can see him," Sora says as he crosses his arms behind his head. 

"Do you want to come with us Skuld," Ava asks.

"I... I don't know. I haven't been able to summon my keyblade since I got back my memories. I won't be much help."

"You never know," Sora says, "You might be able to summon your keyblade again when you need it." 

"Can I make a decision later? I promised Louis I'd be there for his science fair presentation," Skuld says. "You... You can come along if you want."

"We'd love to," Sora says.

Ava nods.

The three walk down the street together, the air is slightly tense as they go. They hear the screams just as they enter the school. Skuld's eyes widen and she runs towards the gym with Ava and Sora following after her. The chaos becomes clear the second Skuld throws open the gym doors, heartless are everywhere in the gym. They're chasing kids around, destroying projects, and causing general havoc. An Invisible rounds on Louis, it's sword raised to strike. Skuld rushes into the fray and just as the Invisible's sword swings down, she's there between it and Louis. A gleaming starlight keyblade appears in her hand and she blocks the Invisible's sword. Ava's keyblade is in her hands in an instant and Sora summons his keyblade as well. 

Ava slices down a neoshadow as it charges at Sora, she jumps, unleashing a thundaga as she does. Sora blinks because suddenly there are three Avas, attacking the Invisible with Skuld. Sora steadies himself and charges a neoshadow. His keyblade cuts through it with ease, dispensing it quickly. As Sora, Ava and Skuld dispense the last of the heartless Louis rushes out of the doors of the gym. 

"Louis!" Skuld calls as she rushes after him. 

"Sora," Ava says, "Come on, we need to catch up with Skuld!"

Sora nods and the two hurry out of the gym. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live for the 'Subject X is Skuld' theory. 
> 
> For anyone confused;  
> Skuld is Subject X and Xigbar/Luxu dropped her off at the orphanage in the world of 'Meet the Robinsons' for an unknown reason.  
> MoM was content waiting for Ava to come back on her own terms until Luxu/Xigbar picked a fight with her and now MoM knows she's not going to come back willingly.  
> Aced only overheard the last thing Luxu said, so now he thinks Ava is the traitor. 
> 
> Next time: Ava, Sora, and Skuld head to the future with Louis. It's a bit of a mess.
> 
>  
> 
> Also, there will be no updates on Fridays. Fridays are Dungeons and Dragons day for me.


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ava, Sora, and Skuld go to the future. Things aren't easy.

###  Chapter Five

Sora and Ava catch up with Skuld easily. She barely spares them a glance as she hurries through the streets back to the orphanage. She doesn't bother going into the orphanage this time, instead, she heads up a fire escape on the side of the building. She goes straight to the roof of the building, and there's Louis. There's another boy too, with dark hair and brown eyes. 

"You need to go back to the science fair and fix your invention," the brown-haired boy says. 

"Why should I listen to you," Louis demands. 

"Because I'm from the future."

"No, you're crazy!"

"I am not!"

"Then prove it!"

"Alright," the boy says, and he starts pushing Louis towards the edge of the building. 

"Louis," Skuld screams, rushing over just as Louis falls. Horrified she grabs onto the shirt of the other boy. "Why the hell did you do that?!"

"Woah, crazy lady, he's fine, look," the boy says pointing.

A glance over the edge of the building shows Louis floating in the air. Skuld glares at the dark haired boy before placing him down on the ground. 

"That still doesn't answer who you are."

"Wilbur," the boy answers. "I'm Wilbur. I don't know who you are, but have you seen a man with a bowler hat around Louis?"

"No."

"Great, then you aren't going to be any help. Now, I'm going."

"You aren't going anywhere with Louis." 

"Listen, if you're that worried about it then come along. I don't have time for this."

"Where are we going?"

"The future."

"Let's go," Sora says, rushing past the two and jumping off the side of the building.

"Sora," Ava exclaims rushing after him.

"You... Know those two," Wilbur asks.

"Yes," Skuld answers. "And they're coming with."

"Things are going to be a little crowded but fine."

Skuld and Wilbur jump off the side of the building, as they land Wilbur hits a switch and the time machine becomes visible. With a flurry of movement, Wilbur is moving the machine which floats in the air and drives forward. Suddenly there's a swirl of colors and everything is different. The buildings are larger and brighter, people are moving using bubbles, there are more floating vehicles. Sora stares in amazement and so does Louis. Ava and Skuld exchange worried glances, as beings from the past this is both concerning and interesting to them. They’re so caught up in their thoughts that they barely notice when Louis and Wilbur start fighting, it’s not until Sora grabs Ava’s arm tightly that they even notice they’re crashing. The reflect goes up instinctually, in the small space of the inside of the time machine it manages to cover all of them just as the time machine crashes into the ground. The time machine is completely broken. Ava looks over Sora, then Skuld for any injuries.

“I’m fine,” Skuld says. “Maybe a little shaken up but okay.”

“I’m good,” Sora assures her with a goofy grin.

Ava rounds on the arguing boys. They both freeze under her stare. She gives them a moment before she begins. 

“What happened,” she demands, stern but kind. 

“Louis wants me to take him back to the past to find his mother! I can’t do that he needs to go back to the science fair!”

“There’s no reason for me to go to that stupid science fair when he can just take me back to find my mother in the time machine!”

“Louis,” Skuld starts softly. “You can’t do that, that would mess with the timestream in ways you wouldn’t understand.”

“How would you understand?! You don’t even remember your family!”

Skuld lowers her head and turns away from Louis. A look of regret crosses over Louis’s face as Skuld takes a breath and then looks back at the two boys. There’s a gap there now, Sora and Ava can both feel it.

“How else can we get back to our time,” Skuld asks Wilbur. “Is there another time machine?”

“No! There’s only two and the guy with the bowler hat stole the other one.”

“Well can’t this one be fixed?”

“That would require my dad, who would kill me for taking it in the first place and isn’t here right now. He’s on a business trip.”

“So… We’re stuck here,” Skuld says. 

“No! Louis can fix it!”

“What,” Louis says. “I can’t.”

“You’re our only hope.”

Louis stares at the broken time machine. There’s something in his eyes as he turns to Wilbur.

“I’ll fix it if you take me back to see my mom, but I’ll need blueprints.”

“Agreed.”

Skuld frowns and shakes her head as the boys shake on it. Ava places a comforting hand on Skuld’s shoulder. 

“Help us get this back to my garage and I’ll see what I can do about getting you blueprints,” Wilbur says. 

Between the five of them, it’s easy enough to push the broken pieces of the time machine. Ava shivers. The darkness is stronger in this time than it was in the past. Ava glances over at Skuld, who nods. The two glance at Sora who doesn’t notice. He’s too busy watching Wilbur argue with someone inside the garage. A moment later a robot steps out of the garage and they all get the time machine inside. 

“Okay,” Wilbur says. “You all need to stay here. Do not leave this garage...And Louis?”

“Yeah?”

Wilbur puts a fruit hat on Louis’s head. 

“Do not take that off. If my family finds out I brought you from the past I’m dead and your hair is a dead give away.”

“Hey! What about them,” Louis complains pointing to Sora and Ava.

“They’re not important,” Wilbur says. “They don’t have the extremely recognizable hair that will be a dead give away. That type of hair went out of style years ago!”

Ava tilts her head and stares as the robot and Wilbur leave through a tube. That boy is lying about something, that much is clear to Ava. Louis approaches Skuld slowly.

“Hey… about what I said…”

“Don’t,” Skuld replies. “I get it. You’ll go to the past and see your mother, and I’m going to be leaving too.”

“What? Where are you going?”

“I’ll explain later.”

“Is this because of what I said?”

“No.”

Louis groans and starts pacing about, he passes under a tube like the one Wilbur went through and disappears up it. Skuld jumps up and hurries through the tube after him. Ava sighs. Before Ava can head out in search of the two Wilbur comes back down the tube. 

“Where is Louis,” he asks. 

“Accidently went up that tube,” Sora answers. “Skuld went after him.”

“Oh no, no, no. This is bad. My family will murder me if they find out that Louis is from the past!”

“If we hurry we might be able to catch up with them,” Ava says. “This is your house, it should be easy for you to find them.”

“Alright. Let’s go track down Louis.”

“And Skuld,” Ava says.

“Yeah, and her too.”

The trip through the tube is short, and on the other side is a large yard. The problem becomes very clear the second they’re out of the tube. The yard is completely filled with heartless. Ava’s keyblade is in her hand in an instant, Sora’s keyblade appears seconds after Ava summoned hers. 

“You find Louis and Skuld,” Ava tells Wilbur. 

“On it!”

Wilbur runs off as Ava and Sora charge the heartless. Sora cuts them down as Ava unleashes powerful magic on them. A heartless moves to pounce onto Sora and is intercepted by Ava, who cuts it down with a powerful swing of her keyblade. A strong firaga blasts through the remaining enemies as Ava winces. A splotch of red appears on her side where a heartless managed to wound her. Sora summons a heal. Sora’s magic feels interesting to Ava. It’s as if someone is trying to hold back a raging river. It washes over Ava quickly, healing her wound and then disappearing just as quick. 

“Let’s go catch up to Wilbur,” Sora says with a grin as he rushes off towards the front door. 

As they meet up with Wilbur they continue through the house, popping up in a toilet, finding a dog with glasses and other odd sights until they finally locate Skuld and Louis. With a quick retreat back to the garage after. Not long after the group gets back in the garage, a banging sound starts from outside the garage door. The robot looks through the hatch it had been talking with them through earlier and screams.

“Monsters!”

“We’ll take care of them,” Skuld says summoning her keyblade to her hand. “Louis you worry about getting the time machine fixed.”

The robot opens the door to the garage and Skuld strikes down the heartless that comes charging in. She rushes out with Sora close on her heels. Ava sighs as she summons her keyblade, she turns towards Louis and Wilbur. 

“We shouldn’t be too long. Just keep the garage door shut until we say it’s okay to open it.”

Ava strikes down a heartless that charges into the garage and then rushes out, nodding at the boys as the door shuts behind her. Sora and Skuld are fighting back to back, Sora blocks the blow of a heartless that was charging Skuld as Skuld unleashes a Fira on a different heartless. Ava summons a Thundaga, the yellow magic striking several heartless as she hurries to Skuld and Sora. Back to back to back the three face off against the heartless. Ava slashes her keyblade across a heartless, Sora blocks a blow and counterattacks, and Skuld summons Fira after Fira. Out of the corner of her eye, Ava sees a neoshadow break through Sora’s defenses, she moves without thinking. She rushes over, jumping between the blow and Sora, the neoshadow’s claws rake across her back. She spins, slashing it with her keyblade and then lunges forward stabbing it with the tip of her keyblade. 

“Heal,” Skuld commands.

Skuld’s magic washes over Ava. It’s familiar and warm and bright. Skuld’s magic is not nearly as powerful as Ava remembers it but it’s still warm like a pleasant spring day and as bright as the rising sun. Ava isn’t sure if her losing her memories and only just being able to recall her keyblade is why Skuld’s magic feels weaker or if something else is to blame. Either way that’s a conversation they will have to save for later. For now, there’s still heartless to be rid of. Ava sends a Blizzaga into the crowd of heartless and breaks away from Sora and Skuld. Skuld follows her lead rushing into the crowd of frozen heartless, Sora is not far behind. Their keyblades connect with their enemies with ease, shattering the frozen heartless into nothingness as they tear through them. With a final blow of Ava’s keyblade, the last of the heartless burst into darkness and fade away. 

“What’s that,” Sora calls, pointing into the air.

Above them, a second time machine, sleeker in design, appears and floats down to the ground. Ava immediately throws up an illusion, making it seem as though the three aren’t there. Inside the time machine sits a man with a bowler hat and Luxu, his robe’s hood is all the way up, covering his face but Ava knows it’s him. Her grip on her keyblade tightens.

“Ava,” Sora questions. Skuld shushes him.

“You’ll help us get the boy,” the bowler hat man says to Luxu. 

“Yup,” he replies. “And all I ask in return is that you bring me the woman in the fox mask and the kid traveling with her. Those monsters, the heartless, they’ll obey you now. The boy won’t stand a chance and if you can separate the kid from the woman in the fox mask I can take it from there.”

“Doris and I will find them for you,” the bowler hat man says. 

The hat moves off of the man’s had and seems to communicate something to him. 

“I want to come too,” he complains like a child. 

The hat seems irritated as it creates a smaller version of itself and hands the man a control system. The hat, the smaller hat, and Luxu all head off. Ava waves at Skuld and Sora to follow her as she begins to move away from the time machine. 

“That was the man from on the last world right,” Sora asks as Ava leads them back towards the garage. 

“Yes, that was Luxu. He’s still after us even after I warned him I wouldn’t be holding back next time I see him. Luxu was a fellow apprentice under the Master of Masters and disappeared not long after the Master did.”

“He wasn’t a foreteller though, he didn’t have a union,” Skuld says, remembering.

“He didn’t, he had his own role to play… He was the traitor that was connected to that nightmare chirithy.”

“That was his Chirithy?!”

“Yes.”

“We have to warn Louis and Wilbur about the guy in the bowler hat,” Sora realizes. “He controls the heartless now, he’s going to use them to go after Louis!”

“Come on, if we hurry we might be able to beat them back to the garage,” Skuld says as she breaks into a run. Sora and Ava run after her. They reach the garage and knock. “We’re back.”

Silence.

“Guys,” Sora says softly, looking out across the yard.

“Hold on a second Sora,” Skuld says.

“Guys,” Sora says more urgently. “I think we’re a little late.”

Ava and Skuld turn to look, a giant behemoth charges across the yard towards the other side of the house, their keyblades are in their hands in an instant. Together the three run across the yard after the heartless as it breaks through a glass window. The screams ring out almost immediately, and the behemoth withdraws from the window, Louis clutched by his shirt between its jaws. Skuld screams as she throws her keyblade at the behemoth. It drops Louis in shock as Wilbur and his family rush out of the house. Skuld’s keyblade zooms back to her outstretched hand. It’s an all-out war as the members of the Robinson family works to get Louis away from the beast. Skuld looks to Ava who nods, and takes Skuld’s hand, with one movement she throws Skuld directly at the behemoth. She hits it across the face with her keyblade, stabbing her keyblade into it and then allowing gravity to drag her and the keyblade down. She darts back as Ava points her keyblade up and then brings it down quickly. “Graviga!” A purple and black dome appears over the behemoth and pushes it towards the ground. 

“Sora! Skuld! Go!”

Sora and Skuld rush in, slashing, bashing and stabbing at the behemoth as Ava throws Firaga’s at the monster. The Robinsons also attack. Pizza dough, meatballs, and a train all hit the behemoth as Ava, Sora, and Skuld attack. The behemoth bursts into darkness and the Robinsons cheer.

Wilbur and Louis are immediately surrounded by the concerned Robinsons as Skuld shakes her head and watches. 

“Are you two alright,” Mrs. Robinson asks as she looks over the two. 

“We’re fine Mom,” Wilbur says.

“You were great, Mom- I mean… Mrs. Robinson,” Louis says. 

“Ah… Speaking of… We were wondering… That is to say, if you’d like. What I’m trying to say is how would you like to be a Robinson Louis?”

“Yes!”

Ava can see the exact moment Wilbur makes his decision. The look of panic crosses his face in one second and the next his face is steeled with determination. The hat is thrown off of Louis’s head with a quick and precise movement. Horror etches itself across the Robinsons’ faces. 

“Wilbur,” Mrs. Robinson says. “What have you done?”

Skuld takes a step towards Louis.

“It’s true, I’m from the past but why does that matter?”

“Louis… I… I would never do anything to hurt you, but you have to go back to the past.”

“But… Can Wilbur at least take me to see my mom? He promised!”

Mrs. Robinson glares at her son.

“I was never gonna actually do it! I swear!”

Skuld rushes to Louis’s side but it’s too late, he’s already running off. Skuld and Sora take off after him with everyone else running after him as well. 

“Louis!” 

“Louis!”

Sora and Skuld turn a corner just in time to see Louis get into the time machine with the bowler hat man.

“Louis, don’t,” Skuld calls out as the lid of the time machine closes. He looks sadly down at the two of them as the time machine flies off. She falls to her knees, keyblade held loose in her grip as Wilbur and Ava come around the corner. Sora offers Skuld his hand.

“Come on. We’ve got a friend to save.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... My good laptop decided to crash and is no longer functional, so I'm stuck using my older laptop. It works but runs super slow. Which is why this update took forever. 
> 
> Next time: We save Louis. Ava, Sora, and Skuld take on Luxu/Xigbar together


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio save Louis. Things don't go so well with magic overuse. The Master of Masters makes a promise.

### Chapter Six

The orphanage has seen better days, that much is clear to Skuld as they sit under Master Ava's illusion on the roof of the orphanage. It's clearly no longer fit for habitation but this is where that man brought Louis and Skuld was not going to let Louis get himself into trouble. Across the roof, Wilbur and the robot are just barely looking over the edge of the roof.  Ava takes a deep breath as the door to the roof opens and Louis is pushed out by the man with the bowler hat. Across the roof, Wilbur begins cooing as if he's a bird. Louis perks up, immediately looking towards the sound with ease. He doesn't hesitate, he falls onto the little red wagon and pushes himself towards Wilbur.

The bowler hat man cries out as his little robotic hat screeches. The heartless spawn in response. The illusion drops.  The three keyblade wielders rush into battle. Wilbur and Louis are quickly out of sight as they escape with Louis's invention. Skuld stabs her Starlight straight through a neoshadow as Ava provides cover with Thundaga. Next to Skuld, Sora flips over a large body and drives his keyblade through its back. The last of the heartless falls to a strike from Ava.

"You didn't really think I'd just let you get away with hurting Louis did you," Skuld asks as she turns her keyblade towards the bowler hat guy. "You know so much about him, you should have known this wouldn't turn out alright for you."

Before he can answer, Luxu, his hood still up, crashes into Skuld. She stumbles back. Ava catches her before she can hit the ground. Ava shoots Luxu a dark glare as Skuld regains her balance. Ava's grip on her keyblade tightens as she glares at Luxu's hooded figure.

"I warned you that next time I wouldn't let you off so easy," Ava says as she readies her keyblade. "You should have stayed away while you had the chance Luxu."

"Can't do that Ava," Luxu answers. "The Master wants you and the kid. If you come with me I'll even tell you where the rest of your dandelions are. After all... I'm the one who put Skuld here in the first place."

Confusion and anger cross Skuld's face as she grips Starlight tightly in her hands. Sora tilts his head, that voice is familiar but he can't seem to place it. For a moment Ava hesitates. Luxu dashes forward, his keyblade connecting with Ava's shoulder. She gasps in pain as the blow knocks her down. Skuld throws a Fira at Luxu. He jumps out of the way. Sora rushes in. Luxu's keyblade meets Sora's blow in a shower of sparks.

"That keyblade," Sora says in shock.

"Trust me, kid, I'm way more dangerous than that old coot ever was," Luxu says as he pushes against Sora's keyblade.

Ava pulls herself back to her feet. Her shoulder protests as she pulls the keyblade up. "Heal," she calls and the wound closes with ease. With her shoulder taken care of, she looks to Skuld and makes a movement with her hand. Skuld nods and rushes Luxu's side as Ava sneaks behind him. Luxu breaks contact with Sora to roll away from Skuld's attack. Ava's keyblade slashes across his back.

"Fira!" "Blizzara!"

The spells fly from Skuld and Sora's keyblades respectively. They connect and Luxu flies back. Ava's keyblade digs into his back as he does. A pained sound comes from his throat as he pulls himself away. He twists in time for his keyblade to connect back with Ava's. He jumps to avoid Skuld's lunge and rolls to avoid Sora's swipe. Blood drips from his back and onto the ground. He jumps, spinning in the air his keyblade catches Skuld across the chest.

Ava spins her keyblade and there are suddenly four of her. Together they all charge Luxu who jumps out of the way of them and right into Sora's slash. Luxu grows as he swings his keyblade upward, catching Sora's shoulder with a hit that sends him flying back. Ava and her three duplicates rush in. One charges, forcing Luxu to dodge out of the way. Number Two and Number Three send Firagas rushing towards him. They hit his keyblade just as the real Ava slashes him in the shoulder from behind.

The world bends around them. It's darker now, the darkness is everywhere, heartless, nobodies and people with those accursed bowler hats over their faces prowl the land. Ava pauses in confusion at the sudden change. Seeing the chance Luxu calls up a dark corridor.

"Don't think this is over Ava," he taunts as he heads through it. "Sooner or later I'm going to defeat you. Once that happens... There'll be no escape for you Ava!"

Sora, back on his feet, tries to rush him, but he's gone before he's anywhere close. Ava shakes her head.

"Heal," Ava commands, pointing her keyblade at Sora. "Heal!" She commands again pointing her keyblade at Skuld. Their wounds close as Ava's precise and powerful magic rushes through them.

"We need to get back to the Robinson house," Skuld says as she strikes down a nobody. "I just hope that Louis is okay somehow..."

"He seems like he's really smart," Sora says. "I'm sure he's fine."

Ava blasts a heartless with magic as the trio moves through the overrun streets. There's no warning when Louis comes driving in the time machine, a wall of heartless and hats following after him. Ava has just enough time to cast a barrier around them before the heartless wall is on them, passing over them, and then gone. Ava collapses.

"Master Ava!"

The two younger keyblade wielders lean over the collapsed master. She groans. Unbidden a memory rushes to Sora's mind. Donald casting Zettaflare and collapsing, the heartless swarm consuming Mikey, Goofy, Donald... Kairi, Axel... Ventus and Aqua... Riku placing himself between the Demon Tide and Sora. The light draining from him before he too is consumed. Darkness...

"Sora?"

A concerned voice is calling his name.

"Sora? Can you hear me?"

He shakes, the memory fading away. Skuld is staring at him. Her concerned brown eyes seem to stare right into Sora's heart. Master Ava is still unmoving on the ground.

"Is... Is Master Ava alright," Sora asks.

"She's just used too much magic," Skuld answers. "She should wake up soon..." Skuld glances around, the barrier Ava had cast still stands, heartless and nobodies bang against it. "I hope."

"What do we do," Sora asks. "Is there anything we can do to help her?"

"No. She's just going to need to recover on her own. How much magic do you think went into putting this barrier around us?"

"More than she had," Sora guesses.

"That's what I'm guessing."

"What was it like?"

"Huh?"

"Your home that is."

"Oh," Skuld says. "It was... Beautiful. There was a giant clock tower and a fountain in the square. There was a lighthouse that you could stand next to and look out over the ocean. The market place was always so colorful and filled with life. The gardens... They were beautiful."

"Do you miss it?"

"I do... But I miss the friends I had there even more."

"Like Ventus."

"Like Ventus. He was... Well, we all were just kids. But he was really young. I had a hard time believing he was placed in charge. He was younger than you back then. I can't help but wonder what he's like now? He should be way older."

"He's like... my age," Sora says with a laugh. "Or at least he looks my age. I don't really understand the specifics of it."

"I'm sure he'll explain it," Skuld says with a light laugh. "Ven always was chatty. Speaking of explanations... What happened? When you saw Master Ava collapse. For a bit there it was like you weren't with us anymore."

"I... I don't know."

"Don't force it," Skuld says immediately. "I know better than anyone that trying to force answers out of things when you don't know makes it worse."

Before Sora can respond there's light, everything is bright, beautiful, the heartless and nobodies fade to nothingness. Crack! The barrier falls, the pieces falling around them like snowflakes made of reflected light. Ava moves, sitting up slowly she smiles softly at the two keyblade wielders.

"Were you hurt at all?"

"No," Sora and Skuld answer immediately.

"Good. It seems whatever happened to the world that caused all that darkness has been fixed. We should be able to return to our own time now. We just need to get to the Robinson's home."

The three walk quietly along the streets to the Robinson home. Everything is beautiful again. For a moment Sora glances at Ava and Skuld, who have wistful expressions on their faces as they walk. The trio reaches the Robinson house just as Louis is climbing into the time machine. His face lights up.

"Skuld! You're okay!"

Cornelius, the older Louis, turns at that. His eyes wide as he rushes over.

"Skuld? I haven't seen you in forever... Did... Will you be alright? Wherever it is that you're going?"

Skuld pauses, she glances at Ava who is helping Sora into the time machine, Sora laughs.

"I'm going to be fine. I'll try to come back before you manage to grow up so much," she says with a laugh and a wink. "Never stop believing in yourself, Louis."

"I don't," he says with a laugh. "I won't."

"Good."

Ava's hand grabs Skuld's to help her into the time machine. The two smile and Sora laughs as the Robinsons wave at them as the time machine takes off into the sky. It's all too sudden that they're at the orphanage, but it isn't the right time. It's a dark and rainy night and Louis looks confused to Wilbur.

"I did promise," Wilbur says with a shrug.

Louis's eyes light up as he exits the time machine and hurries around to the steps of the orphanage. A woman is cuddling up to a baby. Skuld watches, fist clenched as Louis makes his decision. He runs back into the alleyway. His wet footsteps echo down the empty street and the woman looks startled. She places the baby down in the box on the doorstep and hurries into the night. Louis steps back out of the alley and walks up to the orphanage. He stares down at himself for a moment and then knocks insistently on the door. He rushes back into the alleyway before he can be spotted.

Inside the time machine, Wilbur stares as Louis returns to them.

"You didn't do it."

"I've already got a great future to look forward to."

"Louis," Skuld says. "I'm proud of you."

"Thanks...Will you be going as soon as we get back?"

"Yeah," Skuld says soft and sad. "I... I have to find my family. You already found yours, even if you haven't found them in our time yet. We already know it's going to happen."

"You'll find them. I know you will. Because you're the bravest person I know."

The time machine lands and Skuld hugs Louis. The three keyblade wielders step outside of the time machine. They smile and wave before climbing down the fire escape into the alley. There's silence as Ava opens the lanes between.

"Are you ready to find your friends," Sora asks Skuld.

"I'm ready."

The trio heads into the lanes between. They come out in what appears to be the ruins of a temple, overgrown with pant life and hardly fit for anyone to be inside. There's movement and Ava's keyblade is in her hands immediately.

"Stay put," she tells Sora and Skuld.

Just outside the temple, there's a woman with silver hair and a scrawny man with brown hair, they looked shocked at the remains of some kind of transport that's dug itself into a nearby cliff. Ava shakes her head and heads back inside the temple.

"It appears it was just some people. No heartless in sight."

"Well," Sora says, linking his hands behind his head and leaning back slightly. "If there's no heartless maybe we can explore a bit before heading to another world."

"I thought you wanted to get back to your friends," Ava questions.

"I do. But I can feel them," Sora says as he rests a hand over his heart. "My friends are fine. They're all alive and safe. You guys have no idea where the people you're looking for are! I think it's better to explore every world we come across just in case anyone you're looking for is around."

"Sora has a point. If we look around the worlds we come across then maybe we'll be able to find the other Dandelions. We already know Ven is safe with Sora's other friends, so we should focus on the others. Like Lauriam and Ephemer."

"Lauriam," Sora questions. "I feel like I've heard that name before..."

"Oh," Ava asks.

"I don't think I've met anyone by that name but I think I've heard it before," Sora explains. "I just can't remember where."

"It'll come to you," Skuld says. "When you need it most it'll come to you."

"Skuld's right, don't worry about it for now. Instead, let's explore this world. You've made a very good point about having to find people."

Carefully the trio exits the ruins, Skuld and Sora look around in amazement at the crumbling buildings and overgrown landscape. Ava smiles lightly as Sora rushes over to climb a crumbling pillar. Skuld is watching him in amusement when everything stops. Sora is frozen mid-jump, Skuld's face frozen in laughter. Ava's keyblade is in hand as she frantically looks around. Sitting atop one of the crumbling pillars, his black robe's hood obscuring his face and a book in his hands sits The Master of Masters.

"Hi-a Ava," he says.

"Have you come to force me back yourself," she demands, pointing her keyblade angrily at him.

"Nah. I just happened to be on this world and felt the moment you arrived. I've got too much going on here to worry about trying to bring you back right now. Maybe I'll tell Luxu that you're here and have him take care of getting you home but I've got much more important things going on right now."

"I'm never coming back. You have to understand that your plan is insane. I will have no part in it."

He tisks and closes his book, jumping down from the top of the pillar with ease and landing in front of Ava. He waves a finger at her.

"You're our vital number seven Ava," he says as he leans forward. "I may not have the time to bring you home right now, but be assured, the second I decide to stop letting you and Luxu play these little games, you will be coming home. That boy just doesn't know how to listen to orders. You know he was never meant to tell you everything you heard? That was all his doing. That wasn't at all in the plan Ava."

"I don't care what was or wasn't in the plan. I would sooner tear out my own heart than allow your plans to come to fruition."

"Oh, Ava. It's funny you think you have a choice," The Master responds as he waves a hand at her. "I'll be seeing you around in a while Ava. Maybe if you're good and play nice with Luxu I might even tell the others you're still alive! No more sending him back bloody and beaten okay?"

"I warned him and I'll warn you as well," Ava says through gritted teeth. "Stay away from me, my dandelions and Sora, or else."

The Master of Masters throws his head back and laughs.

"Oh look at the little fox," he says, "Bearing her teeth at the mighty lion. Go back to playing with the goat, little fox, it's less dangerous for you that way."

"Dangerous or not I'm not letting anything else happen to those I've wronged... Those we've wronged! I failed the world once I refuse to do it again. I do not care if I have to fight you, Luxu, Aced, Invi, Ira or even Gula. If it means saving this world and the children in it than so be it. Nothing you can say or do will make me come back and help you."

"You say that now... But I wonder how long that attitude will last in the long run. Dear, sweet, Ava, go gather your dandelion seeds, lost to the wind. When the time comes, and the time will come, you'll be more than willing to play your role."

Just as soon as he appeared, he's gone. The sound of Skuld's laughter breaks through, Sora lands on top of a crumbled pillar and cold fear grips Ava's heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, things got hectic. I spent way too much time on designing keyblades that don't even show up until the next chapter, and then things got hectic again. With all said in done this chapter took way longer than I expected it to. 
> 
> Next time:  
> Faces familiar to Ava, Sora, and Skuld show up, their keyblades in hand. They're looking for the secrets of what comes after death.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Familiar faces abound in this chapter.

### Chapter Seven

 If Sora and Skuld notice Ava's sudden mood drop they don't say anything about it as Sora looks about on top of the crumbling pillar and Skuld laughs at him. Ava grips her keyblade tighter. Around them, everything is still, but Ava is still on high alert. With the Master of Masters here, there's no telling what is going to happen, Ava's going to need to be on high alert. She glances at her two charges. Telling them about the threat is the smartest thing to do. They need to know that they're in danger. A lack of communication was one of the biggest causes of the first keyblade war. Ava would not make the same mistake again.

"Sora, Skuld," she says, they two look at her, confusion paints their faces at the sight of her keyblade.

"When did you summon your keyblade," Sora asks.

"There's a problem. The Master of Masters is here. We aren't safe," Ava says. "I believe we should leave before he can tell Luxu where we are or worse, come fight us himself."

"Would leaving really be safer," Sora asks. "When we encountered him the first time he just put us to sleep and left. We could take him and Luxu!"

"Sora," Skuld says, "The Master of Masters is the very first keyblade master. He probably knows all kinds of tricks. I don't think the three of us could take him on our own."

"Even if we had more help I'm not sure that we'd be able to defeat him," Ava says. "We should leave while we have the chance."

"Ava, Ava, Ava," a voice taunts from nearby, Sora and Skuld's keyblades are in their hands in an instant. A top the ruins of the temple stands Luxu and The Master of Masters, Ava curses quietly to herself.

"I didn't say you could leave yet," The Master says with a finger wave. "You were so willing to fight me I thought you could use someone more on your skill level to fight. So I brought Luxu."

"We already beat him once," Sora calls.

"I wasn't talking to you or the lost dandelion," The Master replies. "After all three against one is hardly a fair fight. I'm going to need you to take a back seat on this one kids."

Sora and Skuld both fall through dark corridors that open under them, Ava grits her teeth, and jumps at the Master. Her swing is blocked by Luxu.

"What did you do to them?!"

"Relax," The Master says. "They're fine. I just sent them somewhere else on this world. They're perfectly safe. Hell, I even sent them to go meet up with some old friends who are here. You won't have to worry about them getting off this world without you."

The Master gives a friendly wave and disappears. Luxu throws his weight against his keyblade, sending Ava flying. She adjusts her grip on the keyblade and throws herself into the fight.

Elsewhere Sora lands gracelessly in the middle of another set of ruins. Groaning he picks himself off the ground, Skuld and Ava are both nowhere to be found. He sighs, putting his hands behind his head and leaning slightly as he crosses his legs.

"Well... Looks like I'm going to have to find Skuld and Master Ava again. I hope they'll be okay."

With that he makes his way deeper into the ruins, keyblade in hand just in case, The fun atmosphere there had been with Ava and Skuld is gone. The atmosphere feels tense now, thick and heavy, like something big is coming. Something powerful and dangerous. Sora takes a breath as he moves deeper into the ruins, the feeling getting heavier and heavier as he does. In a small, disheveled courtyard ahead there are two familiar figures fighting against a group of six unfamiliar heartless. They have wings on their backs, claws, and seem to be wearing hats, pants, and shoes.

"I thought we'd seen the last of these after the first keyblade war," Larxene complains. She strikes the strange heartless with their keyblade. A lightning bolt sticking out of a handle of storm clouds.

"Well," Marluxia answers, blocking an attack with a beautiful keyblade. The teeth of the keyblade is made up of a colorful flower Sora's never seen before. The shaft is made up of what looks like vines woven together into a braid down to where it meets the handle which is covered in Forget-Me-Nots. "They're here and they want more than just Lux this time."

Larxene slashes one of the new heartless, it disappears into darkness, and she smirks. Two approach her from the front, she blocks their attacks with ease but is unaware of the third approaching from behind. Marluxia is busy taking care of the other two. Sora moves.

His keyblade clashes against the unfamiliar heartless's claws, pushing it back. With one quick movement, he dispatches it with a powerful lunge. Marluxia's eyes widen but he's too busy with the other two to comment on Sora's sudden appearance.

Side by side with Larxene and Marluxia, Sora helps dispatch the rest of the heartless. As soon as the last one is defeated he grins at the two.

"You have keyblades," he says with a wide grin. "I can't believe it! Larxene, Marluxia! What were those heartless?"

"It's Elrena," Elrena says with an eye roll. "El-re-na. Got it, pipsqueak?"

"Those were Darklings. They're particularly vicious," Lauriam says. "But, Sora, I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"I kind of got separated from all my friends after the keyblade war," Sora says as he runs his finger across the underside of his nose. "I meet some new friends and they're looking for their friends. So I'm helping them and they're helping me! But then that jerk, The Master of Masters, I think that's his name? Separated us."

"Whoa, back up there pipsqueak," Elrena says. "Did you just say The Master of Masters?"

"Yup."

"Great. Let me guess, he had five people in animal masks with him."

"No," Sora responds. "Actually the only person in an animal mask is my new friend Master Ava. She's the one who's been helping me travel the worlds."

"Sora... Are you aware that both of those people should be long dead," Lauriam asks.

"Sorta? Master Ava did say that she expected to die in the first keyblade war. She hasn't really explained that much about The Master of Masters but I know he's the reason the first and second keyblade wars happened!"

"Well, that's good to know," Elrena says sarcastically. "Both Keyblade wars all because one asshole decided it'd be fun."

"Don't mind her," Lauriam says. "But you Sora, are you hiding anyone else that should be long dead?"

"Well... Do you know anyone named Skuld?"

Lauriam takes a breath.

"Yes. We were friends a long time ago."

"Oh! Does that mean you're a Dandelion?

"We both are."

"Master Ava is trying to find all the Dandelions! I think Skuld is more looking for her friends who were Dandelions."

"Well you found two of them," Elrena says.

"Will you come with me to get back to them? I bet they'll be so happy to see you!"

Elrena and Lauriam exchange a look. Elrena smiles as they do and then the two nod.

"We'll tag along, pipsqueak."

"You know my name," Sora says.

"I know."

"How did you two get here," Sora asks suddenly.

Laurium and Elrena exchange another look.

"We borrowed a gumiship," Lauriam says.

"I would much rather use a dark corridor or the lanes between but we can't get either of them to open. So a gumiship it is," Elrena adds.

"Come on Sora," Lauriam says suddenly. "We should get moving if we're going to find Lady Ava and Skuld."

"Right!"

Far on the other side of the world, Skuld is cornered by three Darklings. Her back is facing the edge of a cliff, lava bubbles at the bottom of the sheer drop, and the three Darklings are in front of her. There's nowhere for her to run and not nearly enough room for her to fight off all three on her own. She blocks a blow from the first one, pushing it back a bit as she throws her weight behind the block. She slashes the second one across the face and manages to block a blow from the third one. Her arms are heavy. How long has she been at this? It seemed from the very moment that she appeared on this cliff the darklings were on the attack. There were more of them in the beginning but she's managed to take it down to just these three. Not that it matters that much now that they have her pinned.

They press in closer. She blocks. One more step back and it's right over the edge of the cliff for her. Someone yells. Three figures come charging in. Two keyblades slash through two of the darklings and she's being pulled away from the edge of the cliff by a familiar face.

"Ventus," she asks without thinking.

The boy blinks, and now Skuld sees it. This isn't Ven at all. He looks very similar but he's not the same boy. His hair seems a little darker, his eyes closer to Sora's blue then Ven's, and he's lacking the kind smile that Ven always has.

"Roxas, actually," the boy says. "Who are you and how do you know Ven?"

"And why do you have a keyblade," a girl with short dark hair and eyes just like Sora's asks.

"Give her some space Xion," the third person says after the last Darkling has been dispatched by him. Skuld flinches.

He looks a lot like he did back then. It's hard to say if he remembers her yet because he's more concerned with talking to Xion and Roxas about giving her space. Skuld remembers him though. Him and the other boy who would sneak into the castle to see her.

"Lea," Skuld says almost hesitantly.

He looks to her surprised but almost instantly recognition lights up in his eyes.

"X."

"It's Skuld actually, I got my memories back recently."

"So, how do you know Ven and have a keyblade," he asks.

"Long story actually," Skuld says. "Including both keyblade wars and doomed world lines. Hasn't Ven explained any of it to you, if you really know him that is."

"We've been a little busy," Lea says. "With gumiship thieves and Sora missing..."

"Oh! You're Sora's friends? He's going to be amazed to see you! I've only really just meet him but he seems great. We'll have to meet back up with him first of course. The three of us got separated... Oh no... He's probably never seen Darklings before. We need to find him before they do!"

"Skuld," Lea says sharply, stopping the young woman in her tracks. "Are you saying Sora is here?!"

"Yes! Was that not clear? He's here and Darklings are dangerous to try and take on alone. He's never seen them before and he's going to be in danger. Not to mention Master Ava off fighting Luxu all alone."

"Who's Master Ava," Xion asks.

"Who's Luxu," Roxas asks a moment later.

"My keyblade master," Skuld answers looking to Xion. "An asshole who keeps attacking Sora and Master Ava," she says looking to Roxas.

"Well," Lea says. "I've got it memorized. Master Ava is the person we need to help and Luxu is the one we need to get rid of. Alright. Let's go find Sora."

Together the four of them head across a nearby robe bridge into the city across the way. Skuld leads the way to the ruins where she last saw Master Ava, it's the only place they have to start. The courtyard that Ava had been in is completely leveled. The ruined temple is gone, the crumbling pillars reduced to dust, Skuld blinks in horror.

"Something big went down here," Lea says.

"This is where I last saw Master Ava and Sora," Skuld says. "Sora got pulled into some kind of dark purple portal and so did I. Master Ava was about to fight Luxu."

"Sounds like you and Sora went through dark corridors," Xion says. "He could be anywhere. He might not even be in this world."

"I doubt it," Skuld says. "I stayed in this world. There's no reason to think Sora didn't. They only wanted us out of the way so Master Ava could fight Luxu one on one."

A distant noise makes Skuld tense up, she looks around, then she glances at the other three and holds a finger to her lips. They go silent as she draws her keyblade, carefully she rounds a bend just in time to smack right into Sora.

"Skuld!"

"Sora!"

"I told you we'd find her," Sora says to the people walking behind him. Skuld stares, she's completely frozen. Lauriam smiles at her and Elrena gives a wave. The tears are falling from her eyes before she can even try to stop them and she launches herself at Laurium. Sora laughs as they fall into the dirt. Roxas, Xion, and Lea come around the corner. Their keyblades are out before anyone can say anything.

"Whoa! Roxas! Xion! Axel! No need for that! Elrena and... Actually Marluxia I don't think you ever told me your somebody name."

"Marluxia," Skuld asks as the two pick themselves off the ground. "No, this is my very good friend Lauriam."

"Oh," Sora says. "You're Lauriam! Master Ava and Skuld were telling me about you!"

"Sora," Roxas asks.

"I'm so glad to see you," Sora says, beaming at his friends. "As soon as we find Master Ava I promise I'll explain everything! How is everyone? How long was I gone? It wasn't that long right?"

"It's been about two months," Xion says softly.

Sora's smile fades. A heavy silence settles over everyone. Skuld walks over to Sora and places a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey," she says. "You're going to be back with everyone soon, it could be worse. It's been years since I saw Lauriam and he's the same as ever."

"I don't like that you're so buddy-buddy with him," Lea says.

"Lauriam and I go way back, as far back as Ven and I do! We all trained under Master Ava a long time ago."

"Wait..." Lea starts "If Marluxia-"

"Lauriam," Skuld and Elrena correct.

"Right. If Lauriam trained under the same master as you... That means he has a keyblade?"

"I do," Lauriam replies. "So does Elrena."

The two summon their keyblades with ease. Skuld gasps at the sight of the flower.

"Is that?"

"A strelitzia flower," Lauriam says softly as he runs a hand over it. "As if it could be anything else. She's still trying to guide me home."

"Who," Sora asks.

"Strelitzia," Elrena answers. "She was a keyblade wielder who was my best friend..."

"And Lauriam's younger sister," Skuld finishes.

"Marluxia has a sister," Xion asks excitedly.

"Had," Lauriam says bitterly, dismissing his keyblade. "She's gone now. She's been gone for a very long time."

"Gone," Roxas asks. "Gone how?"

Lauriam says nothing, but Elrena points a finger at Roxas and Xion.

"Okay kiddos, no more questions. We still have a missing keyblade master to find and there's still the issue of the man who pulled the strings behind both keyblade wars running amuck!"

"What," the trio yelps.

"Did I forget to mention that," Skuld asks sheepishly.

"Is that the Luxu you mentioned," Xion asks.

"Yes and no," Lauriam answers. "Luxu was behind both keyblade wars but he only did it because his master told him to do it."

"The Master of Masters," Elrena says. "The very first keyblade master, the one who made the first keyblades."

"He's planning something," Sora says. "It involves Master Ava but she wants no part of it and Luxu keeps trying to force her to go along with it. That's one of the reasons we need to find her so badly."

"What's the other," Roxas asks.

"The other is that she's my friend and she needs me."

Roxas, Xion and Lea sigh. Elrena shakes her head as Lauriam and Skuld laugh. Roxas shakes his head a little and then nods at Xion. Xion nods back. The two look to Lea who nods. They look to Sora, determination burning bright in their eyes. Sora beams. Skuld looks to Lauriam and Elrena who sigh but nod as well. Lea, Roxas, and Xion begrudgingly nod to Lauriam and Elrena. Sora summons his keyblade and points it forward, a wide grin on his face as he does. Skuld shakes her head fondly at him as he looks to the mix-matched group of keyblade wielders. There's something burning behind those blue eyes.

"We've got a keyblade master to find!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know you were expecting Lauriam and Elrena but I don't think anyone saw the Sea Salt Trio coming. If you want to see Lauriam's keyblade design you can find it on my Tumblr.  
> https://awtuscanywriting.tumblr.com/post/185357270405/i-designed-a-keyblade-for-laurium-its-going-to  
> If you want to see Elrena's keyblade I'm not done drawing it yet. So follow my Tumblr to know exactly when it's done!
> 
> Next Chapter: Atlantis Characters and a hint at the MoM's grand plan. (Here's a hint; Ava is right it is insane.)


	8. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Master of Masters reveals part of his plan. It isn't very sane. Xion knew that Xigbar was an asshole and totally saw this coming, somehow Lea is surprised.

### Chapter Eight

"We should split up if we're going to find Master Ava," Skuld says.

"No," Roxas and Lauriam say at the same time. The two glance at each other.

"We just found Sora and we are not going to be losing him any time soon," Roxas says.

"I thought you were dead," Lauriam says to Skuld. "I was sure that Elrena and I were the only dandelions left. I am not letting us get separated again when we just figured out we're all alive. Even if it means we cover less ground we should stay together. There's safety in numbers. With this many keyblade wielders we may actually have a chance against Luxu and The Master of Masters if it comes to fighting them."

"Luxu I'm not worried about," Skuld says. "He doesn't scare me. The Master of Masters is the real threat out of the two of them."

"Exactly why we shouldn't split up."

"We know that Ava has beaten Luxu before," Sora says suddenly. "I wonder if she isn't here because she went off looking for us."

"It's either that or Luxu and The Master of Masters teamed up on her," Skuld says.

"Well we aren't going to be able to find her if we're standing around talking about it," Lea says suddenly. "We want to find her? We're actually going to have to look for her."

"We came from that way," Elrena says pointing off to where Lauriam, Sora and her came from. "We didn't see any sign of Lady Ava while we were walking this way. We did see a number of Darklings though."

A scream cuts through the air and the keyblade wielders all tense up. Sora takes off in the direction of the scream before anyone can stop him. A groan echos through the group before they rush after him, keyblades in hand as they go. Just down a ways away from the flattened courtyard, there's a large group of people, including the man and woman that Sora and Skuld saw earlier when they were with Ava. The woman is being restrained and a gun is trained on her. What really draws the groups attention is the figure in the black coat, standing next to the man with the gun pointed at the woman. He turns as if sensing them and waves.

"Well, this is an unexpected turn of events," he says waving his arms wildly as he does, the scene around them freezing. "I suppose you're looking for Ava. Honestly, I'm not sure where she and Luxu ran off to. Those two are always fighting. I see you managed to meet up with your friends! It's Roxas, Xion, and Axel, right? I already know the others."

"How do you know our names," Roxas demands, keyblade pointed at the Master of Masters.

"Luxu told me. He sure does have a way with descriptions, you're just how I pictured you. Well, mostly. Regardless, I don't know where Luxu and Ava ran off to. However... Sora, you have something I need. If you could please just hand over the x-blade, no one has to get hurt."

Skuld flinches. Lauriam and Elrena stare at Sora. The others ready their keyblades.

"Never," Sora yells.

"I was afraid you'd say that," The Master of Masters says with a shake of his head and a wave of his hand. In a blink of an eye, he's disappeared and reappeared inside the group, a hand wrapped around Xion's throat. "Now... Let's try this again. Sora, give me the x-blade, or I'm afraid I'm going to have to separate Xion's head from the rest of her body."

"Xion," Roxas yells, ready to charge the Master. Lauriam holds him back.

"Whoa, there Anger Boy," Elrena says, "He's not joking and he's got more power on his side. One wrong move and it's lights out for Dolly there."

"I'm glad some of you have your wits about you," The Master of Master says. "Now... I'd say that Xion's got about... A minute left before the lack of air permanently damages her brain. The x-blade Sora."

It happens so suddenly that even The Master of Masters doesn't see it coming, one moment he's holding Xion by her throat, the next her keyblade is slapping him across the head. He drops her in surprise and she rolls away. Lea helps her up with one hand, his keyblade pointed at The Master of Masters with the other.

"None of us are going to let you get the x-blade," Xion says with a hoarse voice. "And if you think any of us are just going to sit here and let you use us to get to it you have another thing coming."

"Well," The Master of Masters says with a shake of his head and a wave of his finger. "I didn't see that one coming. I do have to congratulate you, you've managed to surprise me. Now... Let's see if I can surprise you."

He snaps his fingers and everything goes dark...

When Sora comes to the first thing he notices is that he's tied up, the next thing that he notices is that he's now in a large underground cavern, a large, bright shining blue crystal floating in the sky above a pool of water. A quick glance around shows that all of his friends are here, starting to wake and seemingly in good shape.

"This," The Master of Master says, as the man from earlier, Milo, Sora hears him called, argues with another larger man. "Is the Heart of Atlantis. It's the very heart of this world, something you should be familiar with. Only... Atlantis's heart is a little different than other worlds hearts. See... A long time ago Atlantis got lost from the other worlds, cut off from Kingdom Hearts it should have died out. It didn't. The hearts of the people converged into the world's heart and made a new heart, one very similar to Kingdom Hearts, that allowed the world to live. What you're seeing is basically Kingdom Hearts on a slightly smaller scale. The Heart of Atlantis is about... 1/5 the power of the regular Kingdom Hearts."

"What does this have to do with anything," Elrena yells.

"Well... You're about to see."

Just like that the giant blue light suddenly turns red, and seems to be searching for something, it passes over the woman who was with Milo and turns blue again. As if in a trance she begins walking out over the water towards the Heart.

"Kida," Milo calls, concerned but is stopped by the man he was arguing with.

"Let her go," he says.

Kida walks under the Heart, turning and saying something in a language that Sora's never heard before. Then... she's lifted into the air, the light shines so bright Sora feels complied to look away, and when he looks back... She's fused with the heart, glowing bright blue, and seemingly made out of the crystal.

"Behold," The Master of Masters says, stretching both his arms out as he does. "What happens when one heart holds the hearts of thousands of others, what happens when one fuses with Kingdom Hearts."

"Master Ava was right," Skuld says, her eyes wide, horror written across her features. "You really are insane."

"Maybe so," The Master replies. "But I'm going to do what has to be done. All I need to do it is the x-blade and Ava. Knowing Ava she'll be more than willing to cooperate in exchange for all of your lives."

"Not happening," Elrena says as the ropes fall off of her and Lauriam, a knife in her hand. "The keyblade isn't the only weapon I know how to use and knives tend to be a bit easier to use when they don't have to be summoned to your hands."

Lauriam begins cutting the ropes from the others as Elrena throws knives towards The Master of Masters to keep him off his guard. As quickly as possible the group rushes up to the top of the cavern with the people who were down there with Milo. They get a few strange looks and the man Milo was arguing with looks like he wants to do something but Elrena's knives keep him quiet. It's not long after they are top side that Sora and the group watch in horror as Kida is packed up in a container and removed from the city.

"Is there anything we can do to help," Sora asks.

"Without that crystal, everyone here is going to die," Milo says darkly. "But there's no way to go after them now that Rouke has blown up the bridge!"

"Milo," someone calls, "You might want to come here, things are getting worse."

The group follows Milo into the king's throne room, where Sweet, their doctor is looking over the king. Milo and Sweet speak quietly to each other as Sora looks to the king with worry.

"Is he going to be okay," Sora asks quietly.

"I don't think so," Skuld says softly, shaking her head. "I think he's dying."

"We could use the crystals to heal him, I've seen it be done," Milo says, holding the crystal around the king's neck gently.

"No," the king says. "Where is my daughter? Where is Kida?"

Milo goes quiet.

"As I feared... She's been chosen, like her mother before her."

"Chosen? Like that thing is alive?"

"It's the collective consciousness of those who came before us, in time it grew powerful and I sought to make it into weapons. But my arrogance destroyed us. In times of stress or danger, it seeks out a host, one of royal blood, and merges with them. If they stay merged too long Kida will be lost forever. I've already lost my wife, my daughter is all I have left. My burden would have been hers one day but now it falls to you. Save my daughter, save Atlantis, before it's too late."

"So if she stays fused with it too long, she'll die," Sora asks.

"If she stays fused with it too long she'll become a part of it, they'll be nothing left, her mind, heart, and body will all fuse with it, feeding it," Lauriam explains. "It would be like what happens when a person dies normally and their hearts return to kingdom hearts."

"As much as I want us to help her, we need to find Master Ava," Skuld says. "If we don't then The Master of Masters is going to try and force her to fuse with the actual kingdom hearts and I can't imagine that it would go off any better than this is."

"I don't know much about this Master Ava but I know I don't want that jerk getting anything he wants," Roxas says. "We have to find her now."

"We have no idea where she is," Lea reminds them.

"May our hearts be our guiding key," Skuld says softly, looking off into the distance. She closes her eyes and then opens them, resolve burning behind them. "I think I know which way to go."

"Can't we stay and help," Sora asks, glancing over at Sweet and Milo who are talking.

"The best we can do for them is get The Master of Masters and Luxu off their world," Lauriam says. "When we leave with Lady Ava they'll leave too."

"Okay," Sora says after a moment. "We need to find Master Ava either way, so let's do this."

Skuld nods and starts leading the way, walking through the city, Roxas occasionally having to grab Sora and drag him away from trying to help the citizens as they look hopelessly at the group as they pass by. They continue walking, it's quiet, most of the people have retreated into their homes, at one point they see Milo flying out of the city leading a group of people to retrieve Kida, Sora hopes they make it back in one piece.

Skuld keeps walking, the group is silent, Elrena and Lauriam are covering their rear, taking out any heartless that get too close, Axel and Xion are covering Skuld as she walks, trance-like deeper into the ruins surrounding the city. Sora realizes he's been placed in the middle of the group, away from the heartless, if anyone wanted to get to him they'd have to go through Lauriam and Elrena from the back, Skuld, Xion, and Axel from the front, and then they'd have to deal with Roxas. Roxas stays right by Sora's side, occasionally glancing at him as if he's worried he might fade away if he looks away too long. Sora can't blame him. They were all there on the beach when he returned with Kairi when he faded away into nothingness. They all must have been so worried.

He can only imagine what the last two months have been like for everyone. Were Kairi and Riku okay? Were they still looking for him? Or had they given up, accepted that something had happened that had caused him to fade from the world like he never existed at all. He smiles every time he catches Roxas, or Xion, or Axel staring at him. They always turn away quickly. Sora hopes that as soon as they're out of danger they can all have an actual conversation about all of this. One where Sora gets to explain everything and one where all his friends get to see that he's alright.

They hear the fight before they see it, moving up a rocky incline towards the ruins of a statue of some kind they hear the sound of keyblades clashing together. Their own keyblades are in their hands instantly as they round the corner.

Ava's cloak is torn, part of her mask is broken revealing one of her eyes, pink and bright, unlike any eyes they've ever seen. Luxu, with the Gazing Eye keyblade, Xehanort's keyblade, is not much better off. One of the selves of his coat is completely torn off and blood drips from a wound on his leg. Darklings rush Ava and the keyblade wielders jump into action.

Elrena, Lauriam, and Skuld rush the darklings, cutting them off before they can meet Ava. Sora runs to Ava's side, a healing spell flying from his keyblade. Roxas, Xion, and Lea rush Luxu. Luxu blocks the attack from Lea, jumps out of the way of Xion's attack, blocks one of Roxas's keyblades but doesn't react fast enough to block the other. It hits his hood, sending it flying off. Xigbar smirks at them.

"Xigbar," the former organization members and Sora say in shock.

"Heh," Luxu says with a smirk. "I told you I was worthy of a keyblade. More worthy than the lot of you at least."

"You... You set it all up," Sora says in understanding. "Everything that happened, you were behind it. You manipulated Xehanort into starting the keyblade war! You're the reason Kairi was killed!!"

"It was pretty easy convincing the old coot that you'd never fight unless he killed the little princess," Luxu replies. "After that, I knew you'd do what you always do, go chasing after your friends and risking your life to save them. We needed you to fall to the sleeping realms so that you could lead The Master back to the realm of light. Those bonds of yours are so strong they'd always lead you to a way home."

"Wait," Lea says. "If you're Luxu are you also Braig and Xigbar?"

"Let's make this easy for you," Luxu says. "I did to Braig what Xehanort did to Terra. Completely took over his heart. He'd been gone long before Xehanort ever turned us into nobodies."

"You know," Lea says. "I didn't see this coming, I mean, I should have but I didn't."

"I did," Xion yells angrily. "I hate this guy!"

"I agree with Dolly on this one," Elrena says with a sneer. "You've always been a creep and I look forward to beating the shit out of you with my keyblade."

"No thanks," Luxu says. "I know when I'm outnumbered. You have fun with your lost kids Ava! I'll be seeing you around!"

The dark corridor opens and he disappears before they can do anything about it. Sora helps Ava to her feet. She blinks, which the group can now see thanks to her partially broken mask.

"We should leave," Lauriam says. "Before Xigbar... Luxu? Whatever, it doesn't matter. Before he comes back with the Master of Masters and we have even bigger issues to deal with. Our gumiship is parked nearby."

"Wait," Lea says suddenly. "You stole the gumiship?"

"No, Hot Head," Elrena says. "We borrowed it. We were planning on putting it back when we were done with it."

"Doesn't matter," Roxas says. "We found you, we found the missing gumiship and we found Sora. It's a win as far as I'm concerned. You can drop us off at our gumiship and then we'll all head to Twilight Town. You can all rest up there at our house. Right, Lea?"

"What? You know we'll have to get Isa to agree to that."

"We'll burn that bridge when we get to it," Xion says.

The group starts walking off and grumbling Lea follows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Elrena gives everyone shitty nicknames, so far we have;  
> Pipsqueak- Sora  
> Anger Boy- Roxas  
> Hot Head- Lea  
> Dolly- Xion
> 
> Ava with pink eyes is inspired by this Tumblr Post that I love; https://another-stupid-another-axel.tumblr.com/post/185402359762/vilify-the-fated-land-will-be-the-battleground  
> The idea I have for Ava's appearance is pink eyes with short brown hair. She keeps her hair short because it's easier to keep under the mask that way and if she isn't wearing the mask it stays out of the way during battles. 
> 
> Next Time: Twilight Town and Reunions!


	9. Chapter Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang heads to Twilight Town and get a chance to talk things over. Lauriam makes a good point. Ava gets a chance to talk. No one understands what's going on with Xigbar. Ava explains M.O.M's plan as far as she knows it. Reunions.

###  Chapter Nine

Twilight Town is just how Sora remembers it as Roxas guides them through the streets to a quaint house near the clocktower. Ava's been very quiet since they saved her during her fight with Luxu, her fox mask is off, having been broken in the battle. Her pink eyes seem to shine and her short, light brown hair barely falls to the bottom of her ears. She smiles brightly at Lauriam and Elrena whenever they glance over at her but aside from that she's quiet as if she's deep in thought. Roxas throws the door to the house open and motions for them to enter.

"Isa, we're home," Lea calls.

"I'll be down in a moment," Isa calls back from upstairs."

"You guys can take a seat wherever, we'll have to smooth things over with Isa before I can show you to the guest rooms," Lea says.

"No one asked you to let us stay with you," Elrena says as she plops down on the sofa.

"Ignore her," Lauriam says, "Thank you for the offer to stay despite our past."

"Yeah well, Sora and Skuld say you two are okay," Lea replies. "So I'll withhold any judgment for now, but one wrong move and you're out of here. Got it?"

"Sora is the only reason we're letting you into our house," Roxas agrees.

"I should have known, but still, thank you."

"Master Ava was it," Xion asks.

"Yes, that's me," Ava responds.

"How do you know Xigbar?"

"You call him Xigbar but he's always been Luxu to me. He and I were raised together by The Master of Masters. If you had asked me a long time ago I would have told you Luxu was my brother and closest friend but I don't know him anymore. He... He is all for the Master's plan and has committed horrible acts to make sure the plan comes to fruition."

"Like starting both the keyblade wars," Skuld says.

"Yes," Ava agrees.

"Does that man, The Master of Masters or whatever he's called, really plan on fusing you with kingdom hearts," Sora asks.

Ava pauses, then sighs, "It's more complicated than that. What Luxu told me, long ago before the first keyblade war is that The Master plans on splitting kingdom hearts and then placing those pieces inside himself, Luxu, the other foretellers and myself."

"Is... Is that even possible," Lauriam asks.

"I don't know, but I do know that the plan is insane and dangerous. I refuse to allow it to happen."

"Lea," Isa says from the bottom of the stairs, staring at everyone. Sora gives a wave. "No."

"Come on, they need a place to stay and they helped us find Sora," Roxas says.

"Not happening."

"Please," Xion asks, as she and Roxas give their puppy dog eyes.

"I'm not letting Marluxia and Larxene stay in my house no matter how nicely you ask."

"Our names are Elrena and Lauriam actually," Elrena says. "We're going to be calling you by your name, the least you could do is call us by our names too."

"Come on Isa," Sora says. "They are somebodies now and they have hearts and keyblades and everything."

"No."

"Okay," Skuld says, causing Isa to look over to her and freeze. "If they can't stay then I can't stay either. It's too bad, I was really looking forward to catching up with you."

Isa sighs and turns around and walks into the kitchen. Lea grins.

"Okay, that's it you guys can stay!"

Skuld laughs, "Same old Isa."

"How do you know Hot Head and Vanilla Icecream any way, Mom Friend," Elrena asks.

"Elrena," Lauriam scolds.

"That. Is. Priceless," Roxas says stifling a laugh.

"When I first arrived in this time I had no memories, not even my name," Skuld says. "I arrived in Radiant Gardens and the scientists there did experiments on me to try and get my memories back. Isa and Lea were the only things that made that place bearable."

"Glad to know we're appreciated. Actually, Isa and I only joined the organization so we could look for Skuld," Lea says. "Everything we did was to get information on where she went off to. The others, Xemnas, and the other high ranking members were all the scientists that had run those experiments on Skuld."

"I see," Lauriam says, standing.

"Oh yeah," Elrena says standing too. "Let's go fuck some shit up!"

"Guys, wait, no," Skuld says.

"Skuld they hurt you."

"That doesn't mean you get to go off and hurt them!"

"Skuld is right, Lauriam," Ava says causing Lauriam and Elrena to sigh. "Whatever happened is in the past, hurting them now isn't going to change that."

"Thank you, Master Ava," Skuld says.

"But that doesn't mean we should let them get away with it either," Ava finishes.

Skuld gasps and Lauriam and Elrena nod.

"That is to say, we gently inform them that if they ever mess with Skuld or any other child ever again, we will make them regret it."

"I thought keyblade masters were supposed to be all about light and shit," Lea says with a shake of his head.

"I would like to remind you that Lady Ava trained me, Elrena, Skuld and Ventus," Lauriam says calmly.

"I don't see the correlation," Roxas says.

"We'll all kick your ass if you mess with our friends," Skuld supplies.

"So," Isa says as he comes back into the room. "How exactly did you manage to go from tracking down a gumiship thief to coming home with two missing people, two former nobodies and a woman we've never meet before?"

"Xigbar," everyone but Skuld and Ava answers.

"Would you like to explain further?"

"No."

"I think Sora, Skuld and I should rest," Ava says. "We haven't had much of a chance to do that."

"I do want to catch up with everyone," Skuld says, looking between her four friends.

Roxas and Xion exchange a look, Xion nods and looks to Sora, smiling, "Sora, you should come to get ice cream with me and we'll stop by the bistro! When we get back you, me, and Roxas will go up the clock tower and eat our ice cream and talk."

"Wait, what?"

"Come on," Xion says as she pulls Sora out of the door, winking at Roxas as she does.

"What are you two planning," Lea asks.

"You'll see."

"Well, as long as it doesn't burn down the house," Isa says.

"That only almost happened once and it was Axel's fault!"

Ava laughs and stands.

"You wouldn't happen to have some clothes I could change into, would you? My robes are a bit... Ripped from my battle with Luxu."

"Luxu is what she calls Xigbar," Roxas tells Isa before he can ask.

"You can see if any of Xion's things fit you. If not I'll have someone bring you clothes," Isa says.

"Thank you."

Ava follows Isa upstairs as Skuld, Lauriam, and Elrena follow Lea to the back porch. Roxas pulls out his gummiphone and smiles, typing away at it.

A few hours later the front door burst open as Riku, Aqua, Terra, Ventus and Kairi charge in keyblades drawn. Roxas waves with a smirk on his face.

"You said you needed us to be here immediately, where's the danger," Aqua asks.

"I said there wasn't any danger."

"No, you said that whatever you found on your mission was mostly not dangerous," Riku responds.

"Isa has a strict no weapons allowed in the house role after Axel almost burnt down the kitchen, can you please put the keybaldes away, there's no threat," Roxas says before turning towards the backdoor and yelling.  "Hey! We've got visitors!"

Lea's the first person to get into the living room, he shakes his head and looks to Roxas.

"So that's what you two were planning, did you tell them yet?"

"Nope," Roxas answers. "I just told them we found something."

"What did you find," Ven asks.

"You'll see."

Isa comes in next, he shakes his head and gives the group of keyblade wielders a cold look, "No weapons in the house, and no fighting either." He turns towards Elrena and Lauriam who are walking in through the hallway. "That goes for you two as well. Any fights and I will kick you all out."

"You are no fun, Moon-Moon," Elrena says with a roll of her eyes as she enters the living room with Lauriam. "It's just the Three Musketeers, Princess and Halloween Town."

"Excuse me," Riku says before turning to Lea and Isa. "Why are they in your house?"

"Elrena? Lauriam," Ven asks with wide eyes, he's tense as if holding himself back.

"Hey there Windchimes," Elrena says with a wink. "We aren't the only ones here."

As she says that Skuld and Ava walk into the room, chatting easily. Whatever hesitation Ven had is gone as he launches himself at Skuld, knocking her down as he hugs her.

"Skuld!"

"Ven!"

"Hello, Ventus, it's been a very long time," Ava says as she helps the two off the floor. She's still in her pink robe but her mask is gone.

"Master... Ava?"

"Ven," Aqua asks hesitantly. "Do you know these people?"

"I do! Lauriam and Skuld were my friends back before."

"Like Chirithy," Terra asks.

"Yeah! Elrena was always more Lauriam's friend but she still let me hang out, and Master Ava..."

"I was Ven's teacher before he came to this time. I also taught Lauriam, Elrena, and Skuld," Ava explains. "I'm a keyblade master, you all must be the friends that Lea and Isa were telling us about."

"We're back," Xion says as she and Sora walk in the door. Everyone turns to look at them and freezes.

"...Sora," Riku asks.

"Riku! Kairi!"

Sora drops his bags and runs to his friends, beaming as he does. He crashes into them, pulling them into a hug.

"Sorry," he says with a laugh as he places his hand on his head. "I took longer than I expected."

"That's what we found," Roxas says from his spot on the sofa. "Do me a favor and take him off our hands? Take Lauriam, Elrena and Master Ava while you're at it. We'll keep Skuld, she seems cool."

"How long have you been home," Kairi asks.

"We just got him here a few hours ago," Xion answers. "Just before we texted you."

"Do you have any idea how worried we were," Riku scolds as he hits Sora's arm.

"I was trying to get home," Sora says with a laugh. "But Master Ava and I didn't have a gumiship so we had to use the lanes between and we didn't exactly know where we were going."

Everyone turns to Ava.

"You were helping him get home," Kairi asks.

"I was," Ava answers. "We found each other in the sleeping realm and found our way back to the realm of light. I was opening the lanes between to get him home and find my students."

"You were in the sleeping realms," Riku asks.

"We were," Sora says with a shrug. "I didn't mean to worry you."

"Hold on," Aqua says. "If you trained Ven...And those three, does that mean they have keyblades?"

"We do," Elrena answers as she summons her keyblade. "I know, hard to believe, but to be fair we didn't have our hearts or our memories when we were nobodies working with Xehanort, and not all of us can be like Anger Boy over here."

"No weapons," Isa says right before Roxas demands.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"She means not all of us can dual wield," Lauriam explains. "I know we have all gotten off on the wrong foot in the past, so I would like to try again. My name is Lauriam, I'm a keyblade wielder and I'm trying to find my little sister."

"Strelizia's missing," Ava asks. "I thought that even if she wasn't with you you'd at least know where she was."

"We do and we don't," Elrena answers as she dismisses her keyblade. "She was killed before the first keyblade war, we're looking for a way to get her back."

"Wait... If Strelizia was killed before the war broke out who was the last union leader," Ava demands, the former dandelions stare at her.

"What," Lauriam asks. "Do you mean by that."

"Strelitzia was meant to be a union leader like you," Ava explains. "It was meant to be you, her, Skuld, Ven, and Ephemer."

"So you never picked a boy named Brain for the job," Ven asks.

"No. I didn't even pick anyone by that name to be a dandelion."

"That bastard," Lauriam growls. "I trusted him and he... Did he?..."

"Wait," Sora says. "I remember now! Lauriam, there was a heart in the final world who said they were waiting for you!"

"What?"

"They didn't remember their name or who they were but they said that their heart survived because it was tied to another and that you'd be distressed if you remembered they were missing! I told them I'd find you and tell you."

"Wait," Riku says. "Isn't Naminé also looking for someone named Lauriam because she met someone while she was waiting in the final world?"

"I think so," Kairi answers. "She did say that if we found anyone by the name of Lauriam to bring them to her in Radiant Gardens."

"Why would Little Miss want anything to do with us," Elrena says. "Not to bring up bad memories but we weren't exactly nice to her in Castle Oblivion."

"She didn't really seem to know that Marluxia and Lauriam are the same person if that makes you feel any better," Riku says as he glares at Elrena.

"I don't really know what this is all about," Ven says. "But I know that Lauriam was like a brother to me back then, I don't think he would do anything to hurt Naminé."

"I wouldn't now," Lauriam agrees. "But I already did when I was Marluxia..."

"We all did some shit when we were nobodies," Lea says. "Just... Apologize and see what she wants."

"Geez Hot Head and here I was thinking you were incapable of giving good advice."

"Maybe also leave Elrena here," Lea says with a scowl. "She doesn't seem to have changed despite having a heart."

"She's always like this," Ven and Skuld say with a shrug.

"Damn," Lea says. "Elrena the mean queen."

"Yeah, and what about it, Hot Head?"

"Maybe also apologize for stealing the gumiship," Xion says.

"We told you," Elrena says. "We were borrowing it! We were fully planning on bringing it back once we found a way to get Strelitzia."

"Maybe you should have just asked?"

"Would you really have listened to us without attacking us if it wasn't for the fact we had Sora with us and he asked you not to," Lauriam asks.

"Probably not," Roxas admits.

"Exactly."

"That reminds me," Elrena says suddenly. "Did anyone here know Xigbar is actually an evil ancient keyblade wielder who is helping a mad man try to split kingdom hearts into pieces and place them inside people? Aside from you Mom."

"Elrena, we've been over this, I'm not your mother," Ava says.

"Wait, what," Riku says,

"Xigbar is apparently from the Age of Fairy Tales and he keeps following me and Ava around because the guy he's working with... The Master of Masters? Wants to split kingdom hearts so they need the x-blade and they want Ava to be one of the hosts."

"I have no idea why," Ava informs them. "You may have guessed this by now but the other foretellers are also in this time. I do not know if they know of The Master's true plan but Luxu, the man you call Xigbar, has said they do not know I am alive. I assume this means they do not know of The Master's real plan."

"Do you think the other foretellers will be a threat," Lauriam asks.

"It's hard to say for sure," Ava answers. "It's hard to say what will happen now that I have reunited with so many of my Dandelions and gotten Sora back to his friends."

"Sora... Why didn't you call us with the gummiphone," Ven asks suddenly.

"Oh... I, uhhhh... Lost it as some point when we were traveling."

Everyone groans and then laughs as Sora rubs the back of his head. He's quickly pulled into another hug by Kairi and Riku, who smile brightly at him. Terra frowns.

"We're going to have to tell Master Yen Sid about all of this," he says.

"Oh," Ava asks, a glint in her eyes. "Is he the keyblade master that you have all been working under?"

"Yes," Terra answers.

"Great," she says, her voice sickly sweet. Lauriam and Elrena exchange looks. Ven grabs Skuld’s hand. "I can't wait to meet him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did not expect to get this chapter out so soon but here it is. There's also a one-shot that goes along with it called Memories that you can check out. It's a part of this series so just click the series button to find it. It's mostly just dialogue between Strelitzia and Naminé. 
> 
> Next Time: Ava may flip a table. Gula discovers something. The Master of Masters makes a gamble.


	10. Chapter Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We find out what's in the black box, Gula sees someone he wasn't supposed to, and Ava gives an ultimatum.

###  Chapter Ten

Deep within the Castle that Never Was, the Master of Masters with the help of Luxu lifts the black box onto the table.

"Well," he says to Luxu, "Desperate times call for desperate measures. My keyblade please?"

Luxu hesitantly hands over the keyblade and The Master of Masters points it at the box, a beam of light hits the box and the lid fades away. The keyblade is handed back to Luxu as The Master of Masters reaches into the box and pulls out a book.

"That's it," Luxu asks, irritated. "All of that trouble of protecting this box for a book?!"

"Luxu," The Master of Master says shaking his head at him, "This much more than just a book. This... Is the exactly what we need right now. See... I suspected that you may go off script when it came time to initiate the first battle of the keyblade war with Ava. I know you, I know both of you. I have seen you both since you were children and I know that you're jealous of Ava."

"I'm not," Luxu sneers as the Master of Masters open the book.

"You are. I knew there was a chance you wouldn't fulfill your role correctly, that's why I gave Gula the lost page. Even now I know you aren't doing things the way they are meant to be done. You don't care about the plan, you only care about one-upping Ava, and I knew this. You weren't just a planted traitor, you are a genuine traitor."

"Then why keep me around," Luxu demands. "If you don't trust me if you know I've been trying to one-up Ava, why let me."

"Because despite everything, despite your jealousy, despite you trying to one-up Ava, you still want Ava around. You saved that girl, Skuld, even though she had no purpose, simply because you knew that her safety would make Ava happy. Maybe even endear Ava to you despite your last encounter.  You're a simple man Luxu and Ava is always going to be your weak spot."

"I... I don't know what you're talking about."

"That's alright," The Master of Masters says with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Keep denying it, I don't care, it doesn't matter to me, but what does matter to me is getting Ava back on track with the plan. Now... What's the one thing Ava cares about more than anything?"

"Gula," Luxu sneers.

"I mean currently," The Master of Masters corrects.

"Her pathetic dandelions?"

"Exactly."

The Master waves Luxu over and points to something in the book, Luxu frowns, looking over the words in the book and then looking to The Master.

"Is this?"

"It is. A complete list of all the Dandelions and where they are. I told you, the box contains hope, and as I told Ava, the Dandelions are hope. I gave you the box to keep because I knew you would let your emotions guide your actions, I knew Ava would react badly, I hoped that she would come back on her own, but just in case... I made a fail safe. This book and all the dandelions it tracks is our hope for getting Ava back."

"How?"

The Master smiles, copying something from the book onto a piece of paper and handing it to Luxu. Luxu frowns at the words looking there and then groans.

"Him? Really?"

"He's the easiest to get to right now. Just bring him here and have Gula come see me when you have him here."

"I will, but last I saw him he was heading out to complete the last mission you sent him on."

"He should have finished that mission up already."

"Yeah, well he left something and since you said they aren't allowed to leave any trace of themselves I sent him back to go get it."

The Master of Masters shakes his head, clearly not believing Luxu, and turns back to the book on the table.

"Well just tell him to come to see me when he gets back."

Luxu nods, hoping his plan would work.

Meanwhile, Gula didn't know why he was in this world, well, that's a lie, he knows why he just doesn't understand why. Surely Luxu could go buy his own food if he wanted it that badly, there's no reason to send Gula out to do it. He's not an errand boy, he's a keyblade master, and there's also the fact that Luxu was dodgy with answering if The Master had cleared them to do this. That's probably why he was having Gula do it honestly. Whatever mission Luxu has been on lately has lead him to coming back covered in bruises and wounds, and The Master is not happy about his repeated failures. Gula doesn't know what exactly it is that Luxu has been doing, neither the Master nor Luxu are ever clear or honest when he asks, but it's clear that Luxu is failing. Once Gula asked The Master if he would like him to take over for Luxu, The Master's reply still puzzle's Gula.

"Trust me, if Luxu can't do this mission, you don't stand a chance, we might actually lose you if I tried to send you," The Master had said.

What was Luxu doing that was so dangerous that The Master was actually worried about losing Gula if he were to try to take up the task? Gula has no idea what it could be. But it's clear to Gula that Luxu has failed on too many times, he's been sidelined, not allowed to leave the base until further notice. Which is why Gula is almost sure this task Luxu has given him is not one the Master would approve of, but he's not sure he cares if The Master would approve. There's too much that's unclear, too much Luxu and The Master are hiding. Their unwillingness to answer questions about Luxu's current mission, their dodginess about what the plan is, and the clear avoidance to any question on Ava's fate makes it clear to Gula they are hiding something. A chance to get out of the base without The Master knowing is just what Gula's been waiting for, even if it is with Luxu playing interference so that he can sneak out for him.

The world he's on is... Interesting. Cloaked in twilight and filled with people it feels lively, between that and the clock tower in this world makes his heart ache for Daybreak Town. He misses his students, he misses the sounds of the sea hitting the shore, he misses the fountain in the middle of the square... He misses Ava. Her kindness, how she always did what she felt was right, her smile, how she doted on her students and the chirithy, he misses Ava.

A nagging, paranoid part of his brain insists that she was the traitor and that's why she's been excluded. That's why The Master and Luxu have refused to speak on what happened to her. But that doesn't make sense when he really thinks about it. If Ava was the traitor why would she have saved his life? Why would she have insisted they were not to summon Kingdom Hearts? Why would she have protected him from Ira when he was searching for him? Ava couldn't be the traitor, his heart refuses to believe such a thought. Gula shakes the thoughts out of his head, he's here for a reason, even if he thinks it's a ridiculous reason.

The bistro that Luxu insisted that everyone had to try food from is up ahead, Gula's been careful to avoid drawing attention to himself. He's removed his mask and robe in exchange for some causal clothing Luxu provided. There's no one who would recognize him outside his fellow foretellers and they are all out on missions or being distracted by Luxu. Still, he feels exposed without his mask to hide his dirty blonde hair and blue eyes, he almost wishes he had taken one of The Master or Luxu's black coats, but Luxu insisted it would draw unwanted attention. Gula sighs, as he walks past a large group of young adults and teens, all talking to each other. They aren't paying attention to Gula, who's walking quickly past them, with his eyes on the ground and body relaxed. It's taken Gula years to perfect the ability to disappear in a crowd, but out of all of the apprentices, he's the best at stealth and speedy getaways.

The group shouldn't be interesting to Gula, but something makes him think it is, so he listens carefully as they walk by.

"I really don't understand why you guys are afraid," a boy with brown hair and blue eyes says casually to some of the group that seems familiar to Gula. "I doubt anything's going to happen, come on, tell them there's nothing to worry about Master Ava."

Gula's heart pounds in his chest. Did he hear that right? He redirects himself, following the group, close enough to be heard but with the busy street, not close enough for them to see.

"Sora, I'm just going to have a chat with Master Yen Sid," Ava's voice replies, Gula can't see her, the group is too large, she must be somewhere in the center of it. Gula's heart aches at the sound of her voice. How... How was she here? Did the Master know?

"See," Sora says, Gula can place them now, those people who are so familiar. They are some of Ava's Dandelions. "Master Ava is just going to talk to Master Yen Sid."

Gula follows them, he just... Wants to be sure it's her. It happens suddenly but Ava pauses and looks around and there's no doubt in his mind. That's her. Her pink eyes are narrowed as she surveys her surroundings, her brown hair is just as Gula remembers. She's no longer in her Foreteller mask or robes. Instead, she's in a light pink short sleeve shirt that sits against her body. Gula can guess why she picked that shirt. If the shirt is snug it's less likely to snag on something when fighting. She's wearing black pants that are also snug against her body, for the same reason Gula is sure.

"We're being followed," Ava says to her group.

Gula curses to himself. Of course, she would know! Ava and The Master were always able to find him when he was sneaking around no matter how good he got at it those two were never fooled. He's surprised it even took her this long to sense him. He slumps into himself and turns away, disappearing into a crowd of people walking towards the bistro he was supposed to be going to. His heart hurts as he turns away.

Ava and her dandelions... Was that why The Master and Luxu were so dodgy about her whereabouts? Because she was secretly still training her Dandelions under The Master's direction? Despite the pain in Gula's heart, he feels lighter. At least she's alive.

"Are you sure Lady Ava," Skuld asks, looking around.

"They're gone now," Ava says calmly. "They no doubt heard me announce that we were being followed and instead of trying to confront us, fleed. People who sneak around aren't always strong in battle."

"Well... If it was Xigbar he wouldn't have been able to win against all of us," Lauriam says.

"It wasn't Luxu," Ava says with certainty. "I would have noticed him following us sooner than this. Whoever it was... They're gone now, let's hurry on before they decide to circle back around."

"We should hurry if we want to get to Master Yen Sid's tower anyway," Aqua says as the group continues on.  

They continue on at a slightly faster pace now, with Ava on high alert, watching the crowd around them carefully for anyone that seems to be acting a little too casually. It's no use, whoever was following them is long gone now. Ava's not sure why her heart seems to throb with pain at the thought of whoever it was that following them having stopped but it does. The trip to Yen Sid's tower is tense now, the group staying close and speaking very little. Ava can't blame them, their hypervigilance will keep them from being followed a second time.

As soon as they are in the room with Yen Sid, Ava decides she doesn't like him. Something about the way he holds himself makes her skin crawl. She keeps her face a perfect mask, hiding her emotions behind an indifferent look as Yen Sid greets Sora with genuine surprise and fake joy. The Master taught her many things, reading people was one of them and Yen Sid reads of superiority and indifference towards others. Ava hates it.

She doesn't interfere with the lecture he gives Sora about abusing the Power of Waking and nearly condemning himself to oblivion, she needs to be sure before she does what she wants to do.

"And as for these three," Yen Sid as he turns to her Dandelions, except Ventus, "Well, we cannot trust them. Two of them were vessels for Xehanort and we do not know enough about this young lady to say for sure she's on our side."

Sora and Lea begin to protest but Ava cuts them off.

"If everyone could please leave," she says with a cold and firm voice. "I need to talk to Master Yen Sid alone."

Her dandelions move with purpose at her words. Ven practically drags his friends, Aqua and Terra, out of the room, casting a worried glance at her as he goes. Lauriam picks up Sora and throws him over his shoulder as Elrena carries his friend Kairi out. Riku follows after his friends. Skuld says something quietly to Lea who sighs but follows Skuld out of the room without protest. As soon as the door shuts behind them Ava casts magic around the room to prevent them from listening in.

"How dare you," Ava begins, a cold look in her pink eyes. "Did you even warn Sora about the risks involved with the Power of Waking? Or did you just give him an extremely powerful skill that can be used to restore hearts and send him on his way to play martyr for you? Don't think they didn't tell me how you failed him for not gaining the Power of Waking when the test was rigged from the start. Don't tell me you really couldn't tell that the children you were putting through the mark of mastery were in danger."

"They knew the risks, they were willing to do what had to be done."

"Did they? Did they really know the risks? That they could disappear from existence if they overused the Power of Waking? Did you even try to find someone other children to do your dirty work? I know people like you, Yen Sid. I was raised by a man like you. You think everything you do is beyond reproach because it's for the greater good," Ava spits the words with fire in her eyes. "Using children because they don't ask questions, they want to believe they are special, that they can do something good, and here people like us come. Telling them that they are special. That they are powerful. That they are our only hope, our only way out, and they eat it up. But we don't tell them the risks. That they could die, that they could come back different, scared in more ways than just physically."

"I did what I had to do."

"Did you," Ava says, leaning across the table and glaring at him. "There was no one else you could turn to? You had to rely on children?! There were no adults with powerful hearts you could turn to? You, yourself couldn't do anything?"

"There was very little time for training any new keyblade wielders."

"Really? That's not what Lea told me. I know all about the forest where time runs differently. I know all about the last minute training he and Kairi got. You sent those children out onto that battlefield like lambs to the slaughter, and the worst part is? I was just like you once. But not anymore. You have two choices. You tell those wielders I'm taking over or I take my knowledge of what the enemy wants and who they are, I take my dandelions and I leave you on your own."

The room is quiet and tense, Ava stares Yen Sid down, waiting.

"I'll tell them," Yen Sid says.

"Good," Ava responds and turns away. "I'll go get them."

Ava walks out of the room, leaving Master Yen Sid by himself, but even with her current mission accomplished she is unaware of what's to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoa! This chapter was something to write. With all the interconnecting pieces and Ava's self-hate and hate for those who use others on full display. I know her confrontation with Yen Sid might not be what you were expecting but trust me it's not over just yet. There's more to come with those two. Also, we got to see what's in the black box for this fic. Also, yes, Luxu did set Gula up to find Ava, and Gula did jump to conclusions based on his own hopes.
> 
> Ava, Luxu, and Gula have a complicated relationship and The Master of Masters knows how to use it against them. 
> 
> Next Time: The gang heads to Radiant Gardens. A keyblade appears with the most unexpected of people. There's a kidnapping! Not necessarily in that order.


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Help arrives from the most unlikely of places, even if in the end the outcome was the same, they took destiny into their own hands and faced down odds that were impossible.

### Chapter Eleven

Radiant Gardens is peaceful, Naminé isn't sure if she loves this or hates this. She could have stayed with Kairi on Destiny Islands but somehow she feels like that would be even worse than staying in Radiant Gardens. She... Doesn't have a lot. Sure, Roxas is her friend and probably wouldn't have minded her staying with him in Twilight Town but Naminé isn't sure she could face Lea just yet. There's too much there and Naminé isn't ready to confront all of those issues. There's also the issue of helping Strelitzia, staying in Radiant Gardens makes that task a little easier. Between Ansem the Wise feeling guilty for what he did to her and Ve- Even, being able to make Replicas, staying at Radiant Gardens was the best thing Naminé could think to do to help her lost friend.

She hasn't had any luck finding Lauriam or Elrena. She has no idea who they could even be or where they could be. There are too many factors for Naminé to try and sort through. Riku and Kairi promised they would keep an eye out for anyone named Lauriam or Elrena who knew a Strelitzia but they have their hands full with trying to find Sora. Then there was the gumiship hijacking that sent Xion, Roxas and Lea off to track down the thieves, and Naminé doesn't know Aqua, Terra or Ventus enough to feel comfortable asking them to take her off world. So... She's stuck. Waiting and hoping that someone contacts her with some information.

The bright side is that Ienzo and Demyx seem to go out of their way to make sure she is comfortable. Maybe it's because they understand her, they're pretty young themselves and Ienzo spent a large part of his life as a nobody. Demyx is still a nobody, but he doesn't seem to mind and it makes it easier to get things from off-world when they don't have access to a gumiship. Still... Naminé can feel the trapped memories that lurk inside Demyx but without his heart, she isn't sure she'd be able to restore them. She isn't even sure he'd want them restored. The memories... They feel similar to Strelizia's, old and painful. They aren't something Naminé wants to dig up if she can help it.

She's drawing in her room when the alarm goes off. She's never heard it before but she knows from the descriptions Even and Ansem the Wise have given her that it's the heartless alarm. Heartless are attacking Radiant Gardens and they would have to have been let in, someone is directly attacking Radiant Gardens.  Naminé know she's supposed hid until Demyx comes to take her somewhere safe off-world if that alarm ever rings, she hurries. Her drawings are stuffed into a bag, a gift from Roxas and Xion, she grabs her favorite colored pencils, a gift from Riku and Kairi, and hides in her closet. There's hardly anywhere else to hide. She just hopes that Demyx gets to her before whoever is attacking does.

"Naminé," Demyx's voice calls, the alarm is still ringing but Naminé forces herself out of her hiding spot. "Come on, we've got to get out of here. Do you have everything?"

"Yes... But the others..."

"I know, but Ienzo was clear, you first."

Naminé nods, Demyx turns to open a dark corridor, but is hit with a familiar and terrifying keyblade, which was thrown from the doorway. It strikes him across the head and Naminé turns to see where it came from. Standing in the doorway is Xigbar. He smirks at the two as Demyx recovers and summons his sitar.

"What was that for Xiggy," Demyx demands, seemingly playful but Naminé knows better. Demyx is faking his cheery attitude to hopefully get Xigbar off guard long enough for the two of them to escape. "And how come you have that keyblade?"

"Long story," Xigbar answers as Naminé looks for a way out. The only exit to the room is blocked by Xigbar, and his keyblade has already reappeared in his hand. Demyx has an easy-going smile on his face as he spins his sitar but Naminé can feel him thinking his way out of this. He doesn't want to fight, Xigbar is much more powerful than him and he knows this is a battle he'll lose even if he goes all out, of that Naminé is sure.

"Well, that's too bad because I don't really have time to stick around," Demyx says, "See, there's heartless around and Naminé here actually has a heart to lose. So I need to get her out."

"Naminé is free to go," Xigbar says with a shrug. "I'll even move aside and let her leave, but, Demyx, buddy, I need you to come with me."

"Ah, Xiggy I would but the last time I went with you I ended up with an old dude's heart in me. I've got a sweet gig here, no one expects me to do anything but run away when heartless attack and I can play my sitar all day. Naminé here actually likes to listen to my music and no one ever calls me useless, can't really get much better than all that. So... No."

Naminé dives out of the way as Demyx summons a wave of water to crash into Xigbar, Xigbar slices through the wave and charges Demyx who jumps back and strums the sitar.

"Dance, Water Dance," Demyx calls as he narrowly avoids a blow from Xigbar's keyblade. The water forms spring to life as Naminé hides beneath her bed, watching as Xigbar and Demyx trade blows. Xigbar catches Demyx in the side with his keyblade and Naminé gasps in horror as Demyx falls to his knees, holding himself upright with the sitar, clearly clinging to stay awake.

A pulse.

Something resonates deep within Naminé's heart. Suddenly she's no longer in her room, she's falling, down, down, and below she sees a circular piece of colored glass. As she lands softly onto it she sees an image of herself, asleep on the glass. Was this... Her heart?

"Naminé," a familiar voice calls.

Naminé turns and although she's never seen her before Naminé knows who is standing in front of her. Kind soft blue eyes, red-brown hair in long pigtails, a white dress with black ribbons, Strelizia.

"How are you here?"

"I'm not really," Strelizia answers. "I'm still stuck in the final world, still waiting for them. I think... I think they're closer now, closer to finding a way to get me, but that's not what's important... We connected there, in the Final World, you helped me, now...Let help you. Our hearts are connected."

She holds out her hand and there appears a keyblade, pink, red, and silver, the key curved in, like a heart, the handle shaped like the heart symbol Naminé knows of, and a small charm hangs off the end, a heart, half silver, half gold, slightly broken in the middle.

"This... Is my keyblade," Strelizia says as she passes it to Naminé. "I think... There's a way for you to have one too. You told me there that the person you came from has one right?"

"Right..."

"So... The power must sleep in you too," Strelizia says as she takes back her keyblade and smiles. "Call to it, it'll come."

"What if I don't have it? What if you're wrong?"

"I'm not. Go. Help him. You're stronger than you think."

She's back in her bedroom, her heart feels tight in her chest, she sees as if in slow motion, Xigbar raise his keyblade to strike and she moves. She doesn't even think when she extends her hand up and out as if holding a keyblade over her head to block his attack. There's a moment, a terrifying, horrible moment when she thinks...

'Was Strelitzia wrong? Am I going to die?'

But... Strelitzia was right!

The keyblade shimmers into existence just in time to block Xigbar's blow. It's strange, slightly curved, made of what looks to be interconnecting links, with a bar through one for the handle and what looks to be bits of broken metal at the end where the teeth of the key should be. The links shine, silver and gold in a pattern that starts with silver at the handle and ends with gold on the teeth. Naminé's heart hums as she pushes all her weight against the block to push away Xigbar.

It's enough. He's thrown off balance by the sudden appearance and the push back of Naminé's keyblade. She stands defiant between him and Demyx and knows in that instant what it feels like to be any of the others. Roxas. Xion. Riku. Kairi. Sora... To stare down an enemy, to stand between them and their goal and know that you'd do anything to protect the people who care about you.

"Naminé," Demyx gasps. "You can't beat him! You don't have any training!"

"I won't let any of my friends be taken by anyone ever again," Naminé declares.

"You're making things difficult for me," Xigbar complains. "I wasn't supposed to make any collateral damage, but if you insist on playing keyblade master, I'll show you what a real keyblade master can do!"

He charges and Naminé jumps out of the way, she knows she can't win this fight but she can give Demyx time to escape.

"Go," Naminé orders Demyx as she jumps out of the way of another attack. "I know I can't win but he's after you!"

"I'll go get help," Demyx promises and rushes from the room, Xigbar moves to block his exit but Naminé blocks his path. They both look surprised. Naminé isn't sure how she managed to move like that and Xigbar looks... Amused? Naminé can't tell.

"That's really smart of you," he taunts. "But I'm not working alone."

Naminé gasps, distracted by those words she turns to yell a warning to Demyx and Xigbar pounces. Her world goes dark as she hears Demyx's distant screams.

Elsewhere a phone rings. The group stops as Riku goes to answer his phone, Ienzo's panicked face greets him, there's the blaring of the warning siren sounding in the background.

"We're under attack!"

"How? By who," Riku says as he starts to run, the others follow him as he runs towards the woods where the gumiships are parked.

"Two men in organization cloaks," Ienzo says. The sound of an explosion cuts through the speaker. "One of them disabled the defense system and they let in an army of heartless. We sent Demyx off to evacuate Naminé."

"It's Xigbar," Riku tells Ienzo as the group splits off into their separate gumiships. "We'll be there as quickly as possible. He has a keyblade now! Do not engage unless there is no other option! Where are you sending Naminé?"

"Disney Town."

"Okay, she should be safe with King Mickey there. We're on our way. All of us. Just do your best to stay safe."

Riku hangs up as he, Kairi and Sora fly off to Radiant Gardens in their gumiship, the others flying in their gumiships as they go. As they land it's clear the chaos taking place. Heartless swarm everywhere and the castle has been barred shut. The battle is a rush of adrenaline, fear, and worry as they strike down the heartless, clearing them out. Kairi spins and jumps and launches magic through the air to strike down her heartless foes, she rushes ahead of Riku and Sora, leaving them to take care of the ones she misses. She rolls out of the way of an attack and stabs a heartless with her keyblade. She moves with grace, fluid and strong as she unleashes a powerful combo on a neoshadow, destroying it. Fluid movements match up with Xion's and the two clear out a large chunk of heartless as the group move in conjunction with each other.

Soon enough the courtyard is empty of heartless and all is quiet and still. The castle creaks open and Ienzo steps out with Ansem the Wise at his side. The keyblade wielders dismiss their keyblades.

"Thank you for-" Ansem starts and then freezes at the sight of the newcomers. Lauriam and Elrena glare at him and each put a hand on Skuld's shoulder while Ava stands behind them, her keyblade still drawn, and Skuld shivers under his gaze. "This is unexpected."

"Yeah, well I didn't want to come back here," Skuld says irritatedly. "I only came because people needed help and I wasn't going to sit by and let them get hurt because of my inaction."

"Honestly if it were not for the fact that everything happened so fast and I was unaware of where exactly it was we were going I would have requested you stay behind," Ava says. "Let's make one thing clear, all of the keyblade wielders here are currently under my leadership and therefore my protection, if anything were to happen to them because of your action or inaction, I would personally see to it that whatever your deepest, darkest fear is, becomes a reality around you."

"I understand," Ansem the Wise responds. "I have not been kind to X-"

"Her name is Skuld," Lea buts in.

"I see. I have not been kind to Skuld in the past but I assure you I am trying to make amends for what happened. She will be perfectly safe."

Ienzo clears his throat, "I also apologize for-"

"No," Skuld says. "I remember you. You were just a kid yourself. You cannot hold yourself responsible for the things the adults around you did, so don't even try it."

"But..."

"Blaming yourself for things others did will get you nowhere," Ava says. "One cannot change the past, one cannot make others change, you can only change yourself. If Skuld says you were a child and the adults around you were the ones making the mistakes then I see no reason for you to atone for what happened."

"Actually," Lauriam says. "I feel like we should be apologizing to you. None of us had hearts when we knew each other but Elrena and I were particularly cruel."

"Yeah... Those weren't our brightest moments," Elrena agrees, shuffling on her feet slightly. "We hope you can forgive us or whatever."

"Elrena," Ava says shortly.

"Fine! I'm sorry..."

"Do you know if the men in coats are still around," Skuld asks.

"No," Ansem answer. "They disappeared soon after we called you. We don't know what they wanted or if they are still in Radiant Gardens."

"They're gone," Ava says.

"How do you know," Riku asks.

"I can feel it, they aren't anywhere on this world."

"Do you need any help with the cleanup," Kairi asks as Ansem nods, accepting Ava's answer.

"We could use extra help," Ienzo says. "They managed to damage the computer we have been using to trace connections in the heart. It's what we used to bring Naminé back from the final world and we won't be able to trace any other connections until it's fixed."

"I would like to say we have no need to trace connections but Naminé has been insistent that we help her bring back a friend she made while in there. We have been unable to dissuade her from her goal."

"That's good because we found who she was looking for," Riku says.

"Oh?"

"Ienzo, Ansem the Wise, meet Lauriam and Elrena," Riku says gesturing to the two. "Or as you most likely knew them by, Marluxia and Larxene."

"They will not be causing any trouble," Skuld says. "I promise."

"I personally will be keeping an eye on them," Ava adds. "They are under my leadership after all."

"We should call King Mickey and check to see that Naminé got there safely," Riku says as he pulls out his gummiphone and dials the King's number.

"Hi-a Riku," Mickey says cheerfully, "How's the search for Sora going?"

"We found him," Riku says with a grin. "Or more specifically he found Lea, Roxas, and Xion while they were tracking down the gumiship thieves."

'Which we found," Lea adds.

"That's great guys," Mickey says. "When can we expect it back?"

"Actually... We need it," Riku says. "Some things have come up and there aren't enough gumiships for all the new friends Sora brought with him without it. Including those gumiship thieves."

"We were only borrowing it," Elrena says. "We were trying to find a friend. Mr. Squeakers, hey, the name's Elrena, this is Lauriam, do not call us by our nobody names. This our friend Skuld, and our master, Ava." The people crowd around the phone as they are introduced.

"Sora's at it again I see," Mickey says with a laugh. "That reminds me, I'll have to tell Donald and Goofy you found him. They were real worried for him."

"Oh, did Naminé arrive alright?"

"What?"

"Naminé should be there with Demyx. There was an attack on Radiant Gardens. We managed to clear out the attacking heartless but we wanted to check in on Naminé."

"They aren't here, do you want me to come help you search for them?"

"There's more than enough of us here to take care of it Your Majesty," Sora says. "But tell Donald and Goofy that I'm alright!"

"Can do!"

As soon as the phone call is ended the group rushes to Naminé's room, there she is, a large bruise on her head but otherwise alright, looking dazed and distraught.

"He took him. He took Demyx."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise!!
> 
> This was 1000% just an excuse to give Naminé a keyblade! Did Strelitzia's heart just pull itself out of limbo just to bequeath Naminé? 
> 
> Yeah sorta. It was more that they connected again long enough for Strelitzia's heart to bequeath her and help her fight Xigbar. 
> 
> Naminé's keyblade is named Connecting Chains and Strelitzia's keyblade is named Bleeding Heart. Naminé will not be fighting a lot but she did a good job. 
> 
> Next Time: Why would Luxu take Demyx? What is M.o.M trying to achieve? Where does Gula fit into this kidnapping?


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Foretellers confront The Master of Masters about the strange things they've noticed. Gula is sent to deliver a package. Our heroes split into two groups.

### Chapter Twelve

Gula feels antsy as they all sit around the table and eat. The air in the room is tense ever since Luxu and The Master returned. They're hiding something, but Gula already knew that. They're already hiding the fact that Ava is alive, who knows what else they are hiding. Invi is quiet, calmly eating her food as if unaware of the tense mood of the table. Aced seems even more irritated than usual. Ira also seems more irritated than he normally is. Someone was going to break under this pressure and demand answers.

Surprisingly it's Invi.

"What is going on," she asks softly. "What is truly going on? Why was Luxu coming back covered in bruises and who was that man I saw you two locking in one of the rooms."

"What," Aced explodes. "You have someone locked up in the castle?! Is this to do with Ava?!"

"And what do you know of Ava," Gula demands.

"I know enough," Aced answers, Gula can almost feel the glare he's no doubt receiving under Aced's bear mask. "Enough to know that you failed in the role you were assigned."

"Are you insinuating Ava is the traitor?!"

"Why else would she have been excluded," Ira says resigned.

Luxu looks amused, Gula would like nothing more than to beat him with his keyblade, but that would no doubt cause even more problems. The Master clears his throat and the table falls silent.

"Aced, what makes you think that Ava is the traitor," The Master asks calmly, he's oddly still and Gula feels his heart clench.

"She's been excluded from us, you and Luxu refuse to talk to us about anything to do with her, and I overheard Luxu calling her a traitor when he was speaking to you a while back," Aced says confidently.

"It's rude to listen in to other people's conversations," The Master says coldly. "Especially when you only get a piece of the conversation. Ava was not the traitor during the events of the Keyblade War."

Gula releases a sigh of relief he did not realize he was holding. He knew Ava couldn't be the traitor but to hear The Master say it lifts a weight off his shoulders. He would have never found the traitor if it was Ava.

"Then why has she been excluded," Aced demands.

"She hasn't," Luxu says with a roll of his eye. "I summoned her back just like I summoned the rest of you."

"If she was summoned then why did she not come," Invi asks with a tilt of her head.

"Unfortunately," The Master says with a sigh, "Her heart did not want to be summoned back. She was almost lost to us completely, however, she managed to recover. The unfortunate thing is that during her recovery, a certain group of keyblade wielders got to her, filling her head with lies. She no longer trusts Luxu, who I sent to bring her back. Unfortunately, the keyblade wielders who have been brainwashing her had already corrupted her memory of Luxu, so every time he tried to talk to her, she attacked him. I could not risk sending any of you to try and retrieve her in fear they would do the same to you. They already are familiar with Luxu's face, knowing it of that of an enemy, meaning they were unlikely to try it with him."

"Why wouldn't Ava want to be summoned back," Gula asks.

"She had completed her role perfectly. In her mind, in her heart, she had no reason to return. There was no way for her to know that you'd all be summoned back. She did what I've always told you to do, let her heart guide her."

"Look where that got her," Aced sneers.

"What does the man I saw you lock in one of the rooms have to do with this," Invi asks.

"He's one of the co-conspirators," The Master says. "Luxu and I managed to track him down. You are not to talk to him, he's dangerous. If you come across Ava in your missions, you are to bring her back her if at all possible. I should be able to undo what's been done if we can get her back here."

"Yes, Master," Gula and the other foretellers say.

"Fair warning," Luxu says. "She's not going to come easily and the keyblade wielders who took her aren't pushovers."

"Indeed," The Master says. "They even managed to escape me when I almost had them cornered. Try to get Ava on her own if possible. Also... One of them wields the x-blade. You are to get it from him at any cost."

"Yes, Master," The Foretellers say.

"Great! Now... Luxu and I have some work to do. Stay away from the room where our guest is and be safe on your missions."

The Foretellers nod and disperse, Gula shakes his head as soon as he's away from the others. That story... It does partially add up with what he saw, Ava with a group of keyblade wielders, but Ava... She seemed exactly as Gula always knows her to be, she wasn't acting odd at all, and then there's the fact that her Dandelions were there as well. Gula heads straight to his room, removing his Foreteller mask and robes and slipping into his casual clothing. There's only one way to get the truth... Find Ava. He exits his room to find Luxu leaning against the wall across from his door. Gula glares at him.

"What do you want Luxu?"

"Oh good," Luxu says, "You're already dressed for the part. The Master has a mission for you that requires you out of your Foreteller gear, so this is perfect."

'Damn," Gula thinks. 'I was hoping to head back to the world I saw Ava on."

"Alright," Gula says. "I'll go talk to The Master then."

Gula and Luxu walk quietly through the halls to The Master's room, Luxu opens the door and Gula walks in. The Master is reading a book, a dandelion, its seeds midflight, decorates the cover. There's a small box on the table behind him. Gula waits for a moment before the Master places the book down and grabs the box off the table.

"I need you to deliver this to a man named Lea," The Master says calmly. "You can find his home in Twilight Town, he shouldn't be home right now... So just leave it on by his door and come back."

"That's all?"

"That's all," The Master says. "Just come back when you're done."

"I will."

Gula turns and leaves, Twilight Town is where he saw Ava... Maybe he will be able to find her again before he has to return.

"Do you really think that's a good idea," Luxu questions The Master once Gula is out of the room. "You know as well as I that if Ava gets a chance to talk to him."

"He won't listen to a word she says," The Master replies. "Because I already told him she's been brainwashed into hating us. There's no need to worry Luxu, everything will be fine. Ava's attachments to her Dandelions will be exactly what gets her to do what I want her to do."

"If you say so," Luxu says. "I still don't like that he was the first Dandelion we took."

"Demyx is a powerful fighter, his lazy and laid back attitude do not change this fact," The Master of Masters says. "All of Ava's Dandelions are the best of the keyblade wielders from our time, she already has four of them, there were countless Dandelions once. There had to be, they needed to rebuild the worlds. Luckily for us, only a few are alive in this time. Most have already passed on after they were all scattered through time. The ones that are in this time are the best of the best, we need to keep her from getting as many as possible."

"I know, I know," Luxu says. "The more we have the more likely she is to agree to our terms and not just try and break them out."

"Exactly," The Master of Masters says as he waves his hands wildly. "Now... We just have to trust that Gula succeeds in delivering the package."

"You said it yourself, there's no reason he would."

Back Radiant Gardens, Naminé is finally starting to come out of her daze. She's wrapped in a warm blanket and a cup of tea is nearby as the group sits in a sitting room in the castle, at Riku's request Elrena and Lauriam are not in the room to give Naminé space before they speak to her.

"I understand now," Naminé says suddenly, surprising everyone. "What it's like to decide that your friends are more important than yourself and to throw yourself between them and what someone who's decided to hurt them."

"Naminé what happened," Riku asks.

"Xigbar showed up with Xehanort's keyblade. He asked Demyx to come with him," Naminé says softly, gripping tight to the edge of the blanket. "Demyx refused. Xigbar attacked him. Demyx got hurt and I... I wanted more than anything to help him... Did... Did you find Lauriam yet? This next part... It's confusing to me but he deserves to hear it."

"We did," Riku says hesitantly. "But... Who he was when he didn't know he was Lauriam... They... They weren't a good person. Either of them."

"They're different now, " Sora says, beaming. "I don't really know what it is that happened with them when they were... Well when they didn't have their hearts, but they have them now and they are good. They won't hurt you."

"They won't," Ava says. "I will personally escort them out if they do anything to make you uncomfortable."

"Who were they," Naminé asks.

"Lauriam and Elrena are... Marluxia and Larxene's somebodies," Kairi says gently.

Naminé flinches but takes a deep breath looking around at her friends who smile at her softly. They would protect her if they tried anything... And Strelitzia said she trusted Lauriam and Elrena with her life... So they must be different from Marluxia and Larxene.

"I'll be okay," Naminé says after a moment. "I want them to know."

"I'll go get them," Skuld says.

Naminé watches Skuld leave the room, Kairi hands her the cup of tea and Naminé holds it tight, savoring the warmth of the tea against her hands. She flinches when Lauriam and Elrena enter the room.

"Hi," Lauriam says. "I... We... I'm sorry. I treated you horribly and I... I can never make amends for that. Right now... You are my only lead to find Strelitzia, and she means the world to me. So, please... Don't make my sister suffer for my mistakes."

"Naminé," Elrena says, "We were shit. But Strelitzia? She's gold."

"I can't make her suffer just to get back at you," Naminé says with a shake of her head. "She's done too much for me. There was a moment when Xigbar was attacking Demyx when I felt totally helpless and wanted more than anything to help him. I don't know how she did it but she reached out to me. She was in my heart and gave me the strength to summon this."

Naminé stretches her free hand out in front of her and her keyblade shimmers into existence, shining gold and silver, sitting perfectly in her hand.

"She handed me her keyblade and told me that I could help my friend. She took her keyblade back and then... I moved without thinking and this keyblade appeared just in time to block Xigbar's blow."

"She bequeathed you," Ava says.

"What," Sora asks.

"There are generally four ways to get a keyblade," Ava says. "One the keyblade senses the strong light in your heart and chooses you to counteract growing darkness, that's how the keyblade wielders in the age of Fairy Tales got their keyblade. Two, a keyblade is forged from your heart by a keyblade master. This is the most difficult and dangerous of the ways to get the keyblade, it's also how I got mine. Three, a keyblade master or a keyblade wielder of equal power bequeaths you on purpose, you take their keyblade and usually recite a promise and a keyblade chooses you. Four, a person with a strong heart touches a keyblade and the keyblade automatically marks you as a wielder. Strelitzia knew that Naminé has a strong heart, she would have had to have one to make it to the final world, so she made Naminé touch her keyblade, thereby making Naminé a wielder."

"So... Her heart reached out to yours and gave you a keyblade in your time of need," Lauriam says softly. "That sounds just like her. Doing something to help someone without thinking or caring about what may happen."

"We meet in the Final World," Sore says. "She didn't have any memories except your name, she said her heart pinned for yours and that's why she was there. She knew that if you could remember her you'd be distressed that she wasn't with you. So I promised to tell you if I saw you that she was waiting for you."

"I helped her piece together her memories," Naminé says. "It wasn't easy but I did it. She told me a lot about both of you and the age of fairy tales."

"If we get the computer fixed we can have her here in a few hours," Ienzo says. "Even's already made a replica for Strelitzia after Naminé was very insistent about it. We would need the four of you to get hooked up to the computer, Srelitzia's been in the Final World for a long time, the more connections we have to bring her back, the better. We would also need your memories so we can get the replica stabilized."

"Then we'll stay here and help fix up the computer," Lauriam says.

"I'll stay too," Sora agrees.

"I still have other dandelions to try and track down," Ava says softly. "I'm glad you all are safe but I won't rest until I know where all my dandelions are."

"There's also the issue of the madmen who are after us," Skuld says softly. "You know, The Master of Masters who wants to cut kingdom hearts into pieces and his henchmen Luxu."

"That doesn't even take into account the other Foretellers," Ven says with a frown. "Do they know what those two are planning or are they being dragged along?"

"There are too many moving pieces," Aqua says. "Too many unknowns."

"The good news is that they need Ava and the x-blade," Sora says brightly. "Ava isn't willing to work with them and I'm not going to be giving them the x-blade."

"That just means they'll be coming after the two of you," Terra points out.

"Why don't we break into teams," Riku suggests. "Some of us stay here with Sora, that way if anything happens while they are trying to revive Strelitzia there are people here to defend them. The rest of us go with Master Ava. So she's not traveling alone and we don't have to worry about her getting taken."

"We'll stay with Sora," Xion says as Roxas and Lea nod in agreement.

"I'll stay too," Riku agrees.

"So that means the rest of us are going with Master Ava," Kairi says with a grin.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay here Kairi," Sora asks.

"Hey, you guys got to spend two years going on adventures without me. I think it's about time I got to go off on one."

"She'll be with us," Ven says. "No need to worry."

"Nothing's going to happen to me."

"While we're searching for the Dandelions we'll try to find this Demyx," Ava says. "And stop The Master's plans."

There's the sound of buzzing and Lea pulls his gummiphone from his pocket, as he answers the phone.

"Lea," Isa sounds tired, there's a bruise on his face.

"Isa! What happened?"

"I was heading out and when I opened the door," Isa turns the camera towards a man with short dirty blonde hair, his eyes are closed and he has a black eye. "I found him leaving a package by our door. Obviously, I questioned and he sucker punched me! So... I knocked him out and tied him up."

Ava's heart clenches at the sight of the man. Of all the foretellers, of course, it would be him.

"You're lucky he only sucker punched you," Ava says coolly despite her aching heart. "That is Master Gula, one of the Foretellers. What's in the package he was leaving?"

"I haven't opened it yet."

"Don't. We'll be there as soon as possible. He's mostly not a threat now that he's tied up but the others will come looking for him if he's gone too long."

Ava turns to her group, her face unreadable.

"Let's go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am on a roll and probably need to be stopped. Gula's package delivery did not go as he was expecting. Isa is just lucky that Gula didn't want to pull his keyblade on some random person who was just leaving their house. Unluckily for Gula, Isa's a great fighter with or without a weapon. 
> 
> Next time: Ava and Gula finally meet. We see what's in the package. Ava adopts a dark son, much to the horror of Ven.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ava and Gula have a chat. Ira, Aced, and Luxu fight off unversed. Vanitas buys time. There's a wild goose chase.

### Chapter Thirteen

Ava's heart clenches painfully as Isa opens the door to let them in. She doesn't bother with pleasantries, she goes right to Gula. She notices there are more bruises on him than she thought she saw in the video call and that there's some blood in his dirty blonde hair. She takes a steadying breath, she can't afford to become angry over this. Gula attacked Isa first. Isa did what he felt he had to do.

"Lady Ava," Skuld says from where she's taken a seat by the window. "Are you going to be alright? I know you and Lord Gula were close."

"I'm going to wake him up," Ava replies.

"Are you sure that's a good idea," Isa asks.

"He can't summon his keyblade while his hands are restrained, if he manages to break loose I'll take care of it," Ava says despite the pain in her heart at the thought of hurting Gula. "This is the perfect chance to see what the Foretellers really know about the Master's plan."

"Be careful Master Ava," Ventus says as he settles in on the sofa between Aqua and Terra. Kairi picks up the box that's on the table, Ava assumes it's the one Gula was trying to deliver, Kairi sits in an oversized armchair with the box in her lap. Ava touches Gula's shoulder and casts a silent cure.

The effect isn't immediate but Ava notices slowly the bruises start to fade and Gula's breathing seems to become a little steadier. She's about to cast another cure when his blue eyes flutter open suddenly. He looks dazed as if he isn't sure where he is but soon enough his eye focus onto Ava and Ava feels her heart soar.

"Ava," he says softly, relief and amazement in his tone.

"Gula," she says back smiling brightly at him. "You got into a fistfight. I thought you were supposed to be the stealthy one."

He laughs and Ava can't help but laugh as well. The air feels light around them despite Gula's current predicament of being tied to a chair and Ava's earlier nervousness at seeing him again. The others in the room exchange confused glances.

"Well, it all started with Luxu summoning us to the keyblade graveyard. Next thing I know The Master is back and is sending us out on missions that, honestly Ava? Felt like busy work."

The confused looks continue as Ava nods solemnly as she listens to Gula.

"Then Luxu starts going out on missions and according to Invi, coming back bruised and bloody."

"That was me," Ava says proudly.

"Good," Gula says enthusiastically. "About time someone beat the shit out of him. I'm just sorry it wasn't me."

"Ah, I see, a fellow man of culture," Isa says.

"Really hate that guy," Ventus says in agreement.

"He's the worst," Aqua agrees.

"I really like these guys, Ava," Gula says.

"Thanks, I found them myself."

"Not to derail this lovely reunion," Terra says. "But you said we were on a time limit here, remember Master Ava?"

"Yes. Gula, what's The Master told you?"

"Not much," Gula says. "And even what he did tell us he only did so because Invi confronted him about his and Luxu's strange behavior. He said you refused Luxu's summon and were almost lost to us, and that when you were making your way back you were picked up by keyblade wielders who filled your head with lies."

"Rude," Skuld says. "A lot of us are Master Ava's students from before the first keyblade war if anything it's more likely we're following her than her following us."

"I know," Gula says. "I saw you here, with your Dandelions and those other people, before The Master told us this, and it didn't match what I saw. Between that and the way he and Luxu have been acting, I knew the only way to get the truth was to talk to you."

"You were the one that was following us before," Ava says.

"Yes. I couldn't help it, I had to see if you were with your Dandelions as soon as I recognized them. But as always you knew I was there."

"You never could pull one over on me."

"What really happened, Ava? Why didn't you come back with the rest of us, why are you standing against The Master? Luxu I can understand, he's an ass, but why stand against us?"

"Do you remember when I went off to find the master and when I came back, the bell had rung and I was different?"

"Yes."

"Luxu goaded me into a fight, we fought and our battle caused the bell to ring, but that's just the beginning, the real horror is what he told me. He told me The Master's plan, he didn't care about stopping the keyblade war, he only cared about bringing us to the future where he could enact his ultimate plan... Placing pieces of Kingdom Hearts inside us."

"B-but why?! How?!"

"I don't know," Ava admits. "I do know he needs all of us to do this. As long as I stand against him he cannot enact his plan... You told me once you trusted me to always do the right thing... Do you still trust me?"

"I never stopped trusting you."

"Hey," Kairi says suddenly. "Sora's gummiphone was in the box, and it's filled with pictures of Demyx for some reason?"

"What was that doing in the box," Isa asks Gula.

"I don't know, I've never seen that before."

"If you're going to lie at least do it well."

"I haven't! I was told to deliver the box to some guy named Lea and that's what I was doing when you surprised me."

"That's a better lie."

"Well," Aqua says. "At least we know what happened to Sora's gummiphone."

"Let me see," Ava says and Kairi hands her the phone.

Ava quickly looks through the pictures on the phone, while in most pictures Demyx is purposely ruining the photos by making silly faces or throwing pillows at whoever is taking the photos, Ava hopes it was Luxu, Ava recognises the face. "I know why they took him. He's a Dandelion. They'll pay for this... Trying to use my Dandelions against me!"

Ventus pulls out his phone.

"Who are you calling," Skuld asks.

"Who do you think? Riku, so I can ask Lauriam why he didn't mention that Demyx was a Dandelion!"

"Is everything alright," Riku asks as a greeting after answering his phone.

"We found Sora's gummiphone," Kairi says excitedly. "And found out why Xigbar took Demyx!"

"Hey not to interrupt but can I get out of this chair now," Gula asks.

"No," says Ava immediately.

"Well, it was worth a shot."

"Lauriam," Ventus yells. "Lauriam get on the phone!"

Lauriam grabs the phone from Riku, he looks amused.

"What Ven?"

"Hey, hey, you couldn't have mentioned that Demyx was a dandelion?"

"Oh... Honestly? I forgot."

"Lauriam," Ventus and Skuld yell.

"I can't remember every Dandelion, unlike some people."

"I love all of my students, Dandelions and all," Ava says calmly.

"Ava, no, that's too cute," Gula complains.

"Hey," Aqua says. "We are still on a time restraint right?"

"Yes," Ava says, a faint blush on her cheeks. "Sorry, it's very easy to get caught up with talking to Gula. It's probably best to just let Gula go." She turns to Gula with an apologetic look. "We can't let The Master know that you agree with me. It'll put you in danger, the best thing we can do for now is send you back."

"I really don't want to but that's for the best. Let me play the spy, it's what I do best."

"Hey, Master Ava," Skuld says. "You know how we're on a time restraint? Well, do you want the good news or the bad news?"

"Oh no. Who did they send?"

"Luxu," Skuld says.

"We can take him," Ventus says.

"And Master Aced," Skuld continues.

Ven pales.

"And Master Ira."

"Oh," Ava says nodding with wide eyes and a frightened look on her face. "New plan, we all leave, right now, through the lanes between."

"Really," Isa asks incredulously. "This is where I live you know."

"Luxu I can take no problem," Ava replies. "But Aced and Ira? No way I can win in a normal fight with them. Aced once took, me, Gula and Invi all in a fight once and still had enough energy left to almost kill Gula on a one on one fight soon after."

"Ira's pretty much the only one who can take him on in a one on one fight," Gula agrees.

"I once saw Master Aced almost kill a friend during the keyblade war," Skuld says darkly, "They only got away because Master Ira went after Master Aced."

"Okay," Terra says, "So fighting them isn't the best idea."

"Not unless you happen to have an army," Gula says.

"Hey," Skuld says, "An army of monsters just appeared!"

"Do you mean heartless," Ava questions.

"They don't look like heartless," Skuld answers. "And... They just charged Master Aced and Master Ira."

Suddenly, Vanitas is in the room, standing next to Master Ava, his helmet gone as he smiles smugly.

"Need some help," he asks with a smug tone.

Ven screams. Aqua and Terra's keyblades are in their hands immediately, Isa glares at Vanitas. Vanitas looks unimpressed.

Outside Luxu raises an eyebrow as he summons his keyblade to attack the oncoming unversed, "What the hell is he doing here?!"

Inside Ven's keyblade is pointed at Vanitas, a glare on his face, "What the hell are you doing here?!"

"Ven, he just asked if we needed help, I think it's pretty clear what he's doing here," Skuld answers. "A better question is, who are you?!"

"No," Aqua says through gritted teeth. "A better question is; why do you want to help?"

"Well, someone had to make sure Master Ava was safe, and I knew I couldn't trust you idiots to do it."

"We can get all this out of the way later," Ava says, cutting the conversation short. "For now we need to drive them back, and thanks to the time..."

"Vanitas."

"Thanks to the time Vanitias bought us, I've come up with a better idea than fighting or running."

"Oh," Gula says with wide eyes and a wide smile. "What did you come up with you clever fox?"

Ava smirks, "Oh, something great."

Outside Aced, Ira, and Luxu are striking down the unversed, but every time they destroy one another seems to take its place, a seemingly unending army of monsters unlike any Ira or Aced have ever seen before. Luxu grumbles to himself as he cuts down yet another Unversed. It takes them some time but soon enough the unversed seem to clear out, Luxu frowns.

"That was too easy..."

"Where did those creatures even come from," Aced growls.

"Long story," Luxu replies. "Let's get Gula and Ava if she's here, and get out of here before more show up."

"Are you looking for me," comes a voice from atop the roof. There she is, Ava, keyblade in hand, a playful smirk on her face. "Come on Luxu, we've been over this, I'm not coming back."

"What have you done to Gula," Aced demands.

"Gula? Haven't seen him. Or have I? You'll have to catch me if you wanna know!"

She takes off, jumping across rooftops and heading away from town, Aced, Ira and Luxu hurry after her. After a moment the door to the house opens and out walks Ava and Gula, Ava smirking.

"Told you it would work," she says. "I say if you go after them now then by the time you reach them they'll be two worlds away and not even realize that the Ava they were chasing was just an illusion. You swoop in and destroy it, saying you managed to get away while we were transporting you to a new location, and boom! No one suspects a thing."

"A wild goose chase," Gula says shaking his head fondly.

"More like a wild fox chase," Ava says with a wink. "Go on, before they get too far ahead."

"You're sure you'll be okay?"

"I think it's you we should be worried about. Go. I'll be fine, promise."

Gula nods and starts after the other Foretellers and Luxu, they'll be two worlds away by the time he catches up, but Ava has already told him the route that the illusion will take, in just a few hours he'll be back with the other Foretellers, Luxu and The Master of Masters, but that doesn't matter. He knows the truth and he'll fight with Ava, after all, he trusts her to do the right thing, always.

Ava smiles happily and then turns back inside. Ven and Vanitas are glaring at each other, Aqua and Terra are standing behind Ven, watching Vanitas with irritated looks.

"Are they gone," Vanitas asks, looking to Ava.

"Yes," Ava responds.

"Then I'll be going, be safe, Master Ava."

"Oh no you don't" Ava says sternly, causing Vanitas to stop in his tracks. "You're staying."

"B-but," Vanitas and Ven stutter out.

"I said you're staying," Ava repeats. "If you and Ven can't get along that's fine, you can go to Radiant Gardens and help Lauriam and Sora, but you aren't going off on your own young man."

"Yes Master Ava," Vanitas says, resigned.

"How come you listen to her, and you don't even say master sarcastically when you address her," Aqua says irritatedly.

"Because she actually earned that title and I actually respect her," Vanitas sneers.

"How do you know Master Ava anyway," Ven demands.

"I'm you, you idiot!"

"Ah," says Skuld and Ava together, "Another one."

"Ven can you at least try to get along with Vanitas," Ava asks. "If not then it's alright, I don't know the history you two have, so if you don't think you can, it's fine. He can stay at Radiant Gardens with Sora and Lauriam."

"I can try if he tries," Ven says.

"I don't make any promises," Vanitas says with a sneer.

"Then you're going to have to stay at Radiant Gardens," Ava says calmly.

"...I'll try but do not expect me to go all light. I am darkness."

"Master Ava, I'm not sure this is a good idea," Aqua says.

"He came to our aid when we needed it," Ava says with a tired tone. "He stays."

"I'm not happy about it either," Vanitas says irritatedly as he flops down onto the sofa, receiving a glare from Isa as he does. "But you don't argue with Master Ava. She'd probably just track me down if I tried to leave anyway."

"That's true," Skuld says nodding.

"You can put away your keyblades now," Isa says. "No weapons in the house."

The keyblades disappears and a tense air settles around the group for a moment before Kairi holds up Sora's gummiphone.

"We should probably return this to Sora," Kairi says and everyone nods in agreement.

Elsewhere and sometime later, Aced, Ira, and Luxu have not yet caught up to the illusion Ava they are chasing. They've been following her for some time and yet she always seems to be just out of reach, they turn a corner and as they do Gula rushes past them, hitting Ava with his keyblade, she disappears into a shower of sparkling light and Gula breathes heavily.

"It was an illusion," he says. "I barely managed to get away while she was casting the spell and the keyblade wielders she was with were trying to move me to a different location. I've been trying to catch up with you ever since."

"She lead us on a wild goose chase," Aced growls.

"I should have seen this coming," Luxu mutters angrily. "A trapped fox will always pull a trick first."

"Agreed," Ira says.

Gula nods as well and smirks when the others turn away from them. They aren't wrong, a trapped fox will pull tricks to escape, but leopards strike with speed when they are least expected. They may have survived the fox's trick but there was still the leopard lying in wait for when they least expect it. Ava may be the tricky and clever fox who is broken away from the group, leading her fox kits down a road to stop the lying lion, but Gula is the sneaky leopard who is lying in wait.

"We should head back," Gula says smoothly. "We wouldn't want the Master worrying about all of us and sending poor Invi after us just to find that we were delayed by an illusion."

Aced and Ira head through the portal back to the castle but Luxu blocks Gula's path, he looks amused.

"Managed to find us all on your own, huh? Got away from Ava without a scratched."

"It was hardly without a scratch," Gula replies. "I just know how to heal myself."

"I don't believe you," Luxu sneers. "You'd better watch out because I'm watching you." Luxu turns and walks through the portal, Gula sneers and then sighs, laying a hand over his heart before following after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ava really knows how to play this game, she has a fox on her keyblade for a reason. Gula trusts Ava with all his heart. Vanitas respects Ava and also knows full well that if he goes running off she's just going to track him down so why not stay, it irritates Aqua, Terra, and Ven and Master Ava is a powerful ally. A win-win. 
> 
> Next time: Luxu and M.o.M discuss a certain dandelion and a possible third player in the game. Ava's group goes back to Radiant Gardens to drop off Sora's phone. Vani and Ava have a heart to heart. There's something up with Ven.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luxu and M.o.M talk about a certain dandelion. Ava's group goes to Radiant Gardens to drop off Sora's gummiphone. Ava and Vanitas have a heart to heart. There's something up with Ven.

### Chapter Fourteen

Luxu watches The Master of Masters write something on a piece of paper, shake his head, erase it, and start over again. Luxu shakes his head, whatever The Master is up to it seems to be taking up a lot of his time and focus. Luxu clears his throat, The Master whirls around and nods.

"Luxu! How did the mission to get Gula go?"

"Ava used an illusion to lead us on a futile chase after her and then Gula showed up and destroyed the illusion. He claims he managed to break free and leave when they went to move them but I don't trust that."

"Probably because you don't trust Gula in the best of situations, let alone when he was possibly alone with Ava for a long period of time," The Master points out as he leans forward with his hands on his hips.

"I have every reason to be suspicious. Who knows how long Ava had to convince Gula that she was telling the truth."

"Gula wouldn't listen to a word she said," The Master of Masters says with a shake of his head. "I made sure of that."

"Are you completely sure? Ava and Gula were always close from the moment you brought him in to be a student under you. You cannot be sure their connection didn't weaken Gula's trust in you."

"Gula is good for a number of things, stealth, spying, sneak attacks, but only when someone else plans them out for him," The Master of Masters says. "When he tries to do it himself he tends to get into trouble, just take his encounter with Aced for example, he made the decision to confront Aced alone and nearly died. Ava's interference was the only thing that allowed him to walk away with his life. He's useful but he can't think for himself. I've already told him what to think, there's no way Ava could have changed his mind, he's stubborn like that."

"I still don't trust him."

"Luxu, Luxu, Luxu, as I've said, you're a simple man. I've seen things you cannot possibly understand, trust me when I say Gula is exactly where I want him to be. This interaction with Ava will make things even easier for me."

"Speaking of things being easier for us," Luxu says. "Why aren't we going after that Ephemer kid. Wasn't he very close to Ava?"

"Ephemer out of our reach for now," The Master answers as he reads something out of his book. "His heart has long since been separated from his body but he's stubborn. Currently, his heart resides inside that of another, but they are too well protected for us to get to. We would have to take them in order to get to Ephemer and that's too difficult at this time. Given time we may be able to get to him but for now, it's best to go after the Dandelions we can get to. Like this one."

The Master of Master hands Luxu a piece of paper and Luxu sighs, "Well at least there shouldn't be any surprised while I'm picking up this one, right?"

"Everything should go smoothly," The Master of Masters answers calmly. "Do what you need to do and be safe doing it. Ava is currently occupied by all those children she's picked up along the way, you know her tendency for picking up strays, they'll keep her distracted while we collect more and more Dandelions."

"Fine, fine. Just know I'm not going to be responsible when Ava and her strays stop being distracted long enough to throw a wrench in our plans."

"Maybe it's not Ava and her strays we should be worried about," The Master says with a tilt of his head and a wave of his hand. "Maybe there's a third player you don't even know about yet. Go pick the Dandelion."

Luxu sighs and walks out of the Master's room, the piece of paper clenched in his hand, he pauses a bit away from the room, "A third play, huh?" He looks down at the paper and shakes his head. "Are you onto me old man? Or are you talking about someone else entirely?"

Luxu shakes his head and the corridor of darkness opens as he walks through it, it doesn't matter to him who The Master is really talking about, either way, Luxu would get what he wants in the end. One way or another.

In Radiant Gardens the keyblade wielders have made great strides in getting the computer back up and running, just a few more items and they should have everything back to how they need it. The gumiship lands carefully and Kairi rushes off. Ava shakes her head as she watches the rest of the wielders disembark, with the exception of Vanitas. He sits quietly in the back of the gumiship and Ava smiles softly as she approaches him.

"Are you going to stay here," she asks as she takes a seat next to him.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"None of them are really my friends," Vanitas says with an irritated scowl. "And I don't want to be their friend. Friends make you weak. It gives people something to exploit. Look at where having so many friends got Sora. He would have been lost and helpless in the sleeping realm if it wasn't for you."

"Maybe so," Ava says with a shrug. "But if I hadn't meet Sora I would have definitely been lost in the sleeping realm. I may have saved Sora from the nightmares but Sora lead us both out of there by following the connections with his friends back to the door of light."

"Even if I wanted to," Vanitas says. "That ship's already sailed. I've done terrible things, Master Ava."

"Vanitas, I literally started a war because the man I once called my best friend pushed me into a fight with him. If anyone knows about screwing things up it's me."

"It's easy for you to make amends," Vanitas scowls. "I wasn't lying when I said I am darkness. I am the darkness that Ventus and Sora's hearts cast. My heart is nothing but a fragment of darkness broken off from Ventus. Your heart is light but honestly Master Ava? I think it's the hope in your heart that's the strongest thing. Those monsters earlier, the Unversed, they're born from my emotions, and hope is one I can't use."

"Says who," Ava says with a shrug. "I know someone hurt you, I can tell. I don't think it was Ven, he's not the type. If nobodies can regrow completely new hearts by connecting with others who's to say you can't regrow the rest of your missing heart through the same means? You may be darkness now but there's always a chance you can be more. You don't have to be darkness if you don't want to be."

"And if I want to be?"

"Do you remember the Age of Fairytales?"

"Mostly, I have some memories and Ventus has some memories," Vanitas says. "I'm not sure either of our memories are complete though."

"The reversed medals and the bangles both harnessed the energy of darkness but we used those powers for light," Ava explains. "Vanitas, I think it's time for both of us to stop believing everything someone who can't be trusted said. Now, we can go join the others, or we can sit here, or I can leave you here to think, it's up to you."

"I need time to think, by myself."

"Alright," Ava says as she stands. "Well, you know where to find me if you decide you're done thinking. And Vanitas?"

"Yes, Master Ava?"

"I wouldn't come after you if you truly wanted to leave."

Vanitas nods and Master Ava smiles softly at him before disembarking from the gumiship. Inside the castle, Sora is messing around with his gummiphone while chatting away with Kairi and Riku, Lauriam is helping Elrena move a large piece of metal across the room to the computer, and Lea, Roxas, and Xion are setting the replica down on a medical bed. Across the room from them, Skuld is chatting with Naminé while Ven is arguing playfully with Aqua and Terra. Ava smiles and relaxes slightly at the sight of them all, happy, safe and together. This is what she wants for everyone.

"Good news," Ienzo says to everyone. "We should have the computer up in running in just a day or two, after that we'll need a few days to collect and organize the memories from Lauriam and Elrena to prep the replica for Strelitzia's heart. Once all that's done we should be able to pull Strelitzia from the Final World just like we did for Naminé."

Ava's heart soars. One more Dandelion coming home after so long apart from those she cared about, one more person who will be saved from the wrongdoings that hurt them in some way. Lauriam and Elrena hug, Sora beams and Naminé looks pleased with herself. Ava cannot blame her if she were helping to bring back someone who was thought to be lost forever she would feel pleased with herself as well. Across the room, Ven looks...Strange. He has an unreadable look on his face, a hand goes to his heart, and Ava frowns. No one else seems to have noticed yet but something is definitely wrong with Ven's heart. She hurries over to him.

"Ventus," she says. "Would you like to take a walk with me."

"Ah... Sure Master Ava," Ven says shaking off the strange look he had on his face.

Aqua notices them leaving but a smile from Ven and a polite nod from Ava has her back to talking with Terra as if she never noticed them. Ava takes Ven outside. The sun shines brightly down onto the courtyard, Ava catches a glimpse of Vanitas pacing inside the gumiship and makes a not to swing back around to check on him when she's done talking with Ventus. Ventus is quiet beside her as they get further from the castle and courtyard.

"What's wrong Ventus," Ava asks when she's sure they are far enough away. "Twice now I've noticed you get a strange look on your face when talking about other Dandelions."

"I miss Ephemer," Ven says softly, looking out across the garden. "I feel like we aren't complete without him... He was the leader. It sorta just happened and he was good at what he did. I don't know if the others remember but to get out of the data-world there was a price to be paid."

"What happened," Ava asks gently.

"I don't remember exactly," Ven says. "One minute we're in the data-world trying to find a way out, the next I'm being picked up by Master Xehanort. I remember... Brain did something to get us out but whatever he did... It cost us our memories... I'm scared that's not all it cost. I think Ephemer might be dead..."

Ava's heart drops.

"Why do you think that?"

"When we were fighting in the Keyblade Graveyard for the second Keyblade War... Sora was going up against a huge demon tide," Ven says a far off look in his eyes. "He wouldn't have been able to beat it on his own but Ephemer appeared. It was only for a second but he was there! I saw him! Then, keyblades, countless keyblades, came to Sora's aid and he used them to destroy the demon tide. After that, the keyblades turned into light and dispersed. I knew then. I remembered then! Who I was and where I came from. But Ephemer... That's the only point I saw him.  I think... Whatever he was, wherever he was... He used whatever bit of himself he had left to give us back those memories."

"I see," Ava says. "Have you told anyone else about this?"

"No," Ven says softly. "I'm scared it would crush Lauriam and Skuld. Aqua and Terra wouldn't really understand. Maybe they would now but before? No."

"Did talking about it help?"

"A bit," Ven admits. "It's just... Whenever we talk about the Dandelions or getting other Dandelions back from wherever they are, I can't help but feel like Ephemer is both here and should be here. Like he's with us but so far away that I can't reach him."

"Are you going to be okay to come with me to look for the other Dandelions? I wouldn't blame you if you decided you were unable to do it."

"I'm going to come with you," Ven says determinedly. "I was one of their leaders, I should see this through. It's just hard."

"None of this is easy. None of this should have happened. You shouldn't have had to be a leader as young as you were. None of you should have had to shoulder this burden. I'm sorry I left you with such a heavy burden to bear. This world... All these worlds, only exist because you, Ven, and the others, did an amazing job despite the impossible circumstances standing in your way. Everything is here because you and the others and the light in your hearts rebuilt the world, and I, as your master, could not be prouder."

"Do you think Ephemer would have liked it here?"

"Hmmm, maybe. He always liked the fountain and the beach, if there's a world out there with those two things he would probably like to live there. He would probably laugh at Lauriam and Skuld for how old they've gotten if he's like you and has managed to not age all that much."

"Master Ava?"

"Yes, Ventus?"

"Do you really think we can stop your master?"

"If anyone can do it, it's us. Now come on, we should head back, I'm sure Aqua is worried about you."

"I bet Terra didn't even notice I was gone," Ven says with a laugh.

"I'm sure he noticed too," Ava says. "He just knows you can take care of yourself."

"They still think I'm a kid, but I'm older than both of them!"

"I don't think time travel counts."

Ventus laughs as the two walk back to the castle, the air feels more relaxed now, Ven's smile is bright and Ava feels like he's found peace of some kind. As they pass the gumiship Ava notes that Vanitas is no longer pacing around the ship, she smiles, hopefully, he went inside to be with the others. But if he didn't and he decided to go off on his own, that was his choice to make. She'd be here for him when he decided to come back.

Things are good inside the castle. Vanitas is indeed inside and much to Ven's horror, it seems Elrena's decided to take him under her wing. She, Lauriam and Vanitas are chatting in a corner, each of them with a steaming mug. Sora and Riku seem to be having a friendly argument about where to place some scrap metal they are moving, which has Naminé and Kairi laughing at them. Aqua and Terra wave at Ven as soon as he and Ava walk into the room and Ven beams.

"Go on," Ava says to him and he nods.

"Thank you again, Master Ava."

He runs off to join Aqua and Terra. Across the room, Xion, Lea, and Roxas are talking with Ienzo about something and Ava smiles softly as she finds a quiet place to sit and watch them all. It's nice watching them all interact.

"Nothing quite like watching the ones who'll leave the world to when you're gone," Ansem the Wise says as he takes a seat next to Ava.

"I would have agreed once," Ava says smiling as she watches Sora drop something and startle Xion. "But I'm not watching because I'm just leaving them the world when I'm gone. I'm watching because they have everything ahead of them and I can't wait to see what they'll be. What kind of people will they become? What choices are they going to make? How can I help them while I'm here so that the world I leave to them is better than the world I knew. I'm shaping the world for them so that they never have to worry about anything but just being people again. I want it to be that after this no child is ever Keyblade Master. No child is forced to fight for an adult who can do it themselves. I want them to know that being a kid is exactly what they should be doing right now, even the older ones."

"I see. A lofty task to undertake all on your own."

"Mmmm... I'm not alone. I have someone out there on my side and I know when it comes down to it, he'll be there for me like I'm here for them," Ava says gesturing to the keyblade wielders. "I'll make sure things are better this time, no matter what."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things have slowed down a little in the last two chapters but I promise they will pick back up again. Ava really is a mom and a good one at that. Ephemer's heart is currently pulling a Ven and sleeping inside someone's heart. I'm purposely keeping whatever happened to the Dandelions vague, this is an AU at this point and doesn't really care about whatever becomes canon from here on out but it's not yet time for the Dandelions to remember everything that happened to them. Is M.o.M talking about Luxu? Is he talking about a certain witch we all know? Or is there someone else out there? 
> 
> Next time: Luxu has a rougher time with his mission than he was expecting. Vanitas notices something strange. Invi and Gula are given a job to do. Ava's group heads out in hopes of finding more Dandelions and run into an unexpected encounter.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected encounter. A new assignment. A very angry Dandelion.

###  Chapter Fifteen

Ava smiles softly as Elrena ruffles Vanitas's hair, earning her a glare. Across the room, Skuld is looking intently at Roxas and Ventus as if trying to find the differences between the two boys. She points and says something that Ava can't hear but Roxas beams.

"Shouldn't you be leaving soon," Ansem the Wise asks.

"We should," Ava admits. "But I don't know when they'll have this chance again. I'm going to let them have this peace for what little time remains. Out of everything I miss having time like this with my friends. Even if I manage to stop my Master... I don't know what will happen to my friends."

"You care for them?"

"I do, all of them, even Luxu. I don't want them to hate me but they've never thought to question The Master and... Well, I'm going against what The Master is saying. Even if he's told them a cover story to keep them from hating me... I have to do what's right. There'll be a moment, one I know that is coming, where I'll have to choose between my dearest friends and doing the right thing..."

Ava clenches her hands into fists, her nails digging right into the flesh of her palms, and she shakes slightly.

"Are you afraid you won't be able to choose?"

Ava laughs. "No. That's the thing, I know what I'll choose. That doesn't make it hurt any less. I've done things that I've regretted before but what I may have to do to save this world... I won't be able to forgive myself if it comes to that."

"Forgiveness of oneself is the most difficult to come across as I know."

"Master Ava," Ven interrupts the conversation as he comes running over. He's smiling and Ava's heart fills with joy knowing that these Dandelions are safe. "When we leave can we stop by my home? I left Chirithy there and I want them to come along! Maybe they'll be able to help us find the other Dandelions."

"There are still Chirithy," Ava asks, her pink eyes lighting up with child-like joy.

"I've only seen mine," Ven admits. "There may be others still, we can ask Chirithy when we go to get them!"

"Well, when we are ready to leave we'll go get your Chirithy, the more help we have the better."

Ven nods, smiling before running back off to his friends, Ava sighs. She closes her eyes and places her hands over her heart.

"May our hearts be our guiding key."

The others turn to look at her as she stands, a soft but sad smile on her face as she does.

"We should head out," Ava says to them. "I'll be in the gumiship when you're all ready to head out. We're heading to your home first Ven."

Ven nods. Vanitas rolls his eyes. He didn't notice it at first, perhaps because he was so busy keeping an eye on other things, but there's something different with the light from Ventus and Sora. Their light is a beacon for both those in the light and those in the dark, but now it's even brighter. There's someone else inside his brother's heart. A heart who's sleeping there and wasn't there before, it's a new addition that Vanitas was not expecting. Regardless, it is sleeping soundly there and it seems harmless enough. How long it will sleep is not something Vanitas is going to pretend to know. Ventus slept for 12 years before he was able to return to his body if that was because he needed all of that time to heal or because he was unable to wake on his own is not something Vanitas is certain of.

"I'm going to the ship with Master Ava," he says as he stands from where he was sitting with Lauriam and Elrena. "Don't keep us waiting too long."

Ava's sitting in the gumiship when he gets out there, she looks deep in thought and doesn't notice Vanitas approaching. He takes the seat next to her quietly, no need to surprise a trained Keyblade master. He may end up with her keyblade on him if he were to do that, not that she'd hurt him, but sneaking up on a battle-hardened warrior is never a good idea.

"Are we ready to go," Aqua asks as she and the others pile into the gumiship.

"Yes," Ava says.

"Are you sure we can trust Gula," Vanitas asks, that question has been burning in his mind since they allowed the leopard masked foreteller to leave.

"That's Master Gula," Ava scolds lightly. "And yes. I trust Master Gula with my life and I always will."

Vanitas sighs, he knows there's no arguing with her when she speaks in that tone of voice. Skuld smiles at him and tries to start up a conversation. He does his best to humor her.

Ava tunes out the chatter of the group as Aqua pilots the gumiship towards their destination. There are too many regrets going through her mind. She should have stopped this all long ago, should have never attacked Luxu all those years ago, but it's too late to go back in time. For now, all she can do is prevent this world from being destroyed. She shakes herself out of her thoughts as the gumiship lands. This world is beautiful. She can see why Ventus considers this place home but her heart still longs for the beauty of Daybreak Town. The fountain in the plaza, the market place, the waterways below the clock tower where she'd play as a child. Her heart aches at the thought of her home, lost to darkness or lost to time, either way out of her reach. Then there are her friends, who are so close but so far. Even with the knowledge that Gula still trusts her even now Ava feels empty without her friends by her side. Not that she would admit it aloud but she even misses Luxu, not the angry and bitter man he's become but the young man she knew long ago.

Was there even a way to go back to then? When they were young and kind and their friendship seemed to be able to tackle any obstacle thrown their way? Ava isn't sure. She wishes she has the answers for these questions, the ones that haunt her every time Luxu picks a fight with her. She doesn't want to fight him. Even now she'd rather avoid the fighting and see if there's another way to solve the issues they are having, but Luxu... Luxu always was more willing to start a fight than Ava was. That's never been a secret. Luxu had changed but not that much. He's always been sarcastic and standoffish, Ava would even call him dramatic at times. He'd deny that

'Me? Dramatic? As if,' he would say with a laugh.

Ava's shakes herself out of her thoughts as a Chirithy, Ven's Chirithy, comes running up to them. Ven picks them up and laughs as he does, the Chirithy looks at Vanitas with curiosity. Perhaps because Vanitas was a part of Ven's heart once.

"Lady Ava," Chirithy says. "You're alive?!"

"Hello there Chirithy," Ava says, her heartaches. She misses her Chirithy.

"Does that mean..."

"The other Foretellers are also alive," Ava answers. "So is our master... But they are working towards a goal I cannot allow to happen."

"Hmmm... We Chirithy always did know that you all had different paths to walk. No matter what we were to care for our wielders and so we did."

"It's good to see you again Chirithy," Skuld says, petting the cat-like dream eaters head.

"Skuld! It's good to see you too! Is this a dandelion union leader reunion?"

"What," Aqua asks.

Chirithy doesn't have a chance to answer as walking out of the castle comes a young man in a feather hat, he pauses, as if in shock upon seeing the group. Skuld and Ven freeze up, but Vanitas doesn't hesitate. His keyblade is in his hands immediately.

"Brain," he says.

"Do I know you," Brain asks before turning his attention to Ven and Skuld. "It's good to see you both again."

"Brain... Lauriam is going to kill you," Skuld says.

Aqua and Terra exchange confused looks.

"I didn't kill his sister," Brain says dismissively.

"That's odd," Ven says, his eyes narrowed. "I don't think Skuld said anything about why Lauriam would be trying to kill you."

"I don't understand," Aqua says. "Who are you and why... Why do you look like Master Eraqus?"

"Maybe focus on the fact he basically just admitted to killing someone," Vanitas sneers. "I say we kill him ourselves, save Lauriam the trouble and heartache."

"You don't want to kill me," Brain replies smoothly. "I'm trying to prevent The Master's plan. Just like before I'm the virus here to overwrite the program."

"At the cost of killing innocent people," Skuld asks, her eyes narrowed in distaste. "We trusted you! You were our friend!"

"I saved you! You would have all perished in that data-realm if it wasn't for me. I did what needed to be done," Brain turns his focus on Ava, his eyes narrowed. "And I'll do it again."

The implication of that statement is not lost on the Dandelions in the group and even Ava herself understands what he's implying. He smiles and turns as behind him a dark corridor opens, he waves and runs through before the group can do anything about it. The silence that falls on the group is heavy, Ava clears her throat.

"I think," she says softly. "We should inform the others of this development."

In The Castle That Never Was, The Master of Masters waits patiently for the two he's summoned to come to his room. There's much work left to be done and nothing can be done until Ava is returned to the group, through whatever means necessary. Sending Luxu to do the job may have been a mistake, but at the time he could not risk the others being aware of Ava's presence in this time when she refused to be summoned back by Luxu. There's a knock at his door.

"Come in."

Invi and Gula enter, he can practically feel their confusion as he spins around in his chair to look at them. He stands and waves his hand.

"Close the door please."

Gula closes the door.

"I've decided to reassign the mission of bringing Ava back to you two," The Master says casually. "Clearly Luxu has been unable to fulfill that role and the task needs to be reassigned."

"To us," Invi asks softly.

"To you," The Master replies. "The two of you will do a much better job of convincing her to come back, I'm sure of it. She's not going to listen to Luxu, that much is clear. Hopefully, the two of you will be able to get through to her."

"And if she's not willing to listen to us," Gula asks.

"Then you'll have to find another way to bring her back," The Master replies. "As long as you can get her back here, under whatever means you have to us as long as she's alive, then I'll be able to take care of it from there. The group she's with will no doubt try and stop you from getting her back her. They know I can undo what they've done to her. So try your best to get a chance to talk to her separate from them. Don't engage her in battle unless absolutely necessary. If she gets away, that's alright, just try again later. But she needs to be brought back to us."

Invi nods and after a moment so does Gula. The Master leans forward slightly, staring down his two apprentices from behind his hood.

"There is on more thing," he says.

"What is it," Invi asks.

"I'm not certain but Ava may be in an amount of danger. I have Luxu looking into it now, but you're to make sure nothing bad happens to Ava and bring her back here. Ava's a very important part of our next steps to assure the light survives, we need her."

"Yes, Master," Gula and Invi reply immediately.

"Good. Good. Now get going! You need to find Ava before Ava manages to find herself in any trouble."

Invi nods again and leaves but Gula stays put, the Master tilts his head. "Do you need something Gula?"

"Is Ava really in danger?"

"I believe she is. Now... Go do your job, I would hate for something bad to happen because you failed to fulfill your role. Again."

Gula tries to ignore the chill that runs down his spine as he nods and hurries after Invi if nothing else this assignment would make it easier to slip Ava information as long as he can ditch Invi long enough to do so.

Elsewhere Luxu is having a wild time in San Fansokyo, with a world as big as this one, it' much more difficult to track down the stray dandelion he's been sent to gather. There are countless people and that local hero group he has to avoid being seen by. It's hard enough to try and track down such a flower in a haystack but adding avoiding being seen by the local heroes and things are far from easy. It took a while but Luxu has finally managed to track down the dandelion, living in a small apartment just outside the city. Getting in the apartment is the easy part, now he just has to wait.

The light clicks on and the young man blinks at Luxu in shock, but the shock wears off quicker than Luxu would like. The Dandelion notices the keyblade in Luxu's hand and summons his own, his purple eyes narrowed in distrust at Luxu.

"Who the fuck are you," he demands.

"Oh come on," Luxu complains. "This was supposed to be an easy mission."

"Who are you, you creepy asshole, and what are you doing in my apartment," the dandelion demands, Luxu blinks and then laughs.

"At least you're making this interesting."

Luxu rushes at the dandelion. He blocks his attack. He twirls, a move Ava uses often, and hits Luxu right across the chest. Luxu slashes at the young man, who jumps back. The apartment is small, there isn't much room to move around, but the dandelion knows his home. He moves carefully as he jumps back and lands perfectly in the still open doorway. Luxu follows, hitting the dandelion in the stomach. The Dandelion backs up and then suddenly rushes towards Luxu, hitting the ground and sliding under him at the last minute. He's on his feet in an instant, slashing Luxu across the back with the starlight keyblade. It's surprising how good this dandelion is despite only just getting their memories back.

It's not a secret that Ava was meant to recruit the best of the best for the dandelions and The Master said that the ones who were in this time are the best of those, so he shouldn't be surprised. The Dandelion moves quickly, moving further into his apartment. Luxu wonders why he didn't run away when he had the chance, maybe he's been waiting for something like this. Something to prove all those memories he suddenly had wasn't just things he made up. The dandelion blocks the Luxu's next attack, countering it with a slash to Luxu's legs. Luxu dodges out of the way. The Dandelion glares at Luxu. Luxu laughs.

"You're sure putting up one hell of a fight. You don't even know who I am!"

"Don't need it to know," The Dandelion answers. "You broke into my apartment and have a keyblade. That's all I need to know."

"I could have been here to help."

"I doubt that! You had your keyblade out before I even came in."

The Dandelion moves gracefully as he dodges another attack but it doesn't matter. The conversation did what it was meant to do. Distract him. He's got himself caught in a corner, there's nowhere left for him to go. Luxu swings his keyblade. The Dandelion blocks it, straining to keep the block in place. Luxu moves his keyblade away, pointing it at the Dandelion.

"Sleep."

The Dandelion blinks, their eyelids heavy and slowly but surely they sway before falling to the ground, fast asleep, their keyblade vanishes in a burst of light. Luxu scoops them up, throwing them over his shoulder with ease. He walks over to the door to the apartment and closes and locks it. Can't have anyone getting suspicious because he left the door open now can we? Luxu shakes his head.

"Well, at least you made the fight interesting kid."

The corridor of darkness opens when Luxu calls it and he steps through with the Dandelion in hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Dandelion is my character from Union X, Julian, who I love very much. This chapter was a long time coming and got delayed because of an event in my personal life. Please don't ask. 
> 
> Also here's Julian: https://awtuscanywriting.tumblr.com/post/186081534890/my-keyblade-kid-julian
> 
> Next Time; New world! New enemies? Old Enemies. Old friends.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang lands on a new world. Luxu delivers the dandelion to The Castle That Never Was.

###  Chapter Sixteen

The gumiship arrives at a new world, Aqua looks back to Ava who sighs and nods, Aqua nods back. The effects of maintaining balance on this world are immediately noticeable to the group, Ava gasps aloud, having never experienced this before.

"I'm a fox," she exclaims looking over herself. "This must be that magic Sora was talking about."

Sure enough, Ava is a fox with soft fur and shining pink eyes standing on two legs just like a person would but undeniably a fox. Everyone else is also an animal of one kind or another. Ventus and Vanitas are both rabbits, their fur the same color as their hair. Terra has turned into a dog and Skuld and Kairi are both cats. Aqua is the most shocking, she's turned into a blue fish with a bowl over her head to provide water.

"This... Is fun," Kairi says, looking down at herself in amazement. "Aqua... Are you okay in there?"

Aqua attempts to answer but the sound comes out gargled and the others stare at her, unable to understand a word she's saying. Vanitas laughs.

"Looks like there's an upside to this world," he says.

"Vanitas you're lucky you weren't the one who got turned into a fish," Ava scolds.

"Well, I'm not going to apologize if that's what you're looking for me to do."

"Vanitas."

"What," he says with a roll of his eyes. "It's not my fault she got turned into a fish and we can't understand her.

"Well you're a rabbit so it's not like you got off much better," Ven says.

"Please do not start fighting," Skuld says before Vanitas can reply. "Master Ava I doubt we're going to find any of the dandelions on this world."

"I agree," Ava says, "We should head off to the next planet, that way Master Aqua can return to her normal state."

"Shouldn't we at least look around," Kairi asks.

"It couldn't hurt," Ven agrees. "This world seems like it could be fun!"

"If Master Aqua is okay with staying a fish while we explore than I don't see any harm in us taking a look around," Ava admits.

Aqua nods, a clear sign that she's fine with them staying on this world even if it means she's unable to communicate with the rest of the group with any amount of ease. Ava nods and the group heads towards the town off in the distance, this world seems peaceful, no heartless so far as they head towards the quaint little town of Oakey Oaks, it's as they reach the two do they notice something is amiss. The town is deserted. It's the middle of the day but there's not a person, or animal, in sight. It's strange really, one would think that there would be someone out in the middle of the day but the place is like a ghost town. It soon becomes evident as to why.

Heartless appear around the heroes almost as soon as they step into town, they summon their keyblades and launch into battle. Ven and Skuld fight back to back, years of training kicking in as they cover each other, careful to keep the other safe. Vanitas strikes out on his own, attacking heartless with Void Gear without much care or thought. He cuts right through a neoshadow. A sound behind him makes him turn, there behind him, a neoshadow burst into shadows as Kairi's Destiney's Embrace cuts through it. She smiles and dashes away to another Neoshadow. Vanitas rolls his eyes and blocks an attack from a soldier heartless.

Despite being in a fishbowl Aqua's magic is working just fine, evident as she hurls a blizzard at a nearby soldier heartless before it can attack Terra.

"Thanks, Aqua," Terra calls as he hits the frozen heartless with his keyblade. It shatters into pieces with ease.

Ava's fighting away from the group, moving further into the swarm of heartless that surrounds them than they are. Her keyblade strikes down heartless that come to close to her with ease and her magic cutting down the ones further away from her without her ever needing to get close. Despite the size of the swarm, the group has defeated all of the heartless around them.

"I wonder what heartless are doing on this world," Ava says as she looks over the group for injuries, casting a quick cura on each person in turn just to be safe.

"You don't need to waste your magic on me," Vanitas sneers as the cura washes over him, healing the few bruises and scraps he accumulated during the fight. "Those were minor injuries at best."

"I'd prefer you have no injuries," Ava replies gently, "You don't have to be in pain."

"I'm used to it," Vanitas replies without thinking. A dark look passes over Ava's face and Vanitas takes a step back. Ava takes a breath. Around her Ven and Terra mutter something together with Aqua listening in. Skuld's hands are clenched into fists and Kairi has a hand over her mouth, as if she just realized something horrible.

"Well," Ava says kindly. "You won't have to continue to be used to it."

She moves, slowly like one would with a wounded animal and places her hand on his shoulder. He still flinches. He can't help it, there are so many times a hand has approached him with the intent to hurt behind it. The fact that Ava isn't intending to hurt him is confusing even as Ava just gently pats his shoulder and gives him the soft, kind smile he remembers from the time he was a part of Ventus and Ventus as a Dandelion. When they were just another keyblade wielder training under Master Aced. Before they were expected to lead at the young age of 10 after watching everyone they knew fall in a war. Before their memories were erased as they were sent hurling through time with no clear end in sight. Before that Ventus became Ventus and Vanitas. Before everything.

"Will you be alright," she asks softly.

He nods.

"Hey! How did you get rid of the monsters," a voice calls. The group looks around, confused. "Down here!"

A glance down shows a tiny chicken, Ava blinks in surprise, glancing over at the others who look just as confused.

"Hello there," Ven greets him. "We're... Experts when it comes to those monsters, we're here to take care of them for the town."

"Any idea where they're coming from, kid," Vanitas asks, pushing aside the moment of weakness he was having.

"They showed up a few weeks ago," the chicken answers. "Right around the same time, that cat did!"

"Cat?"

"Yeah! I know where he usually hangs out, I can show you. I'm Chicken Little by the way."

"I don't care," Vanitas sneers.

"Don't mind him," Kairi says. "It's very nice to meet you. Do you mind taking us?"

"Right this way," Chicken Little says and starts through the town.

Kairi follows after leaving the others very little choice but to hurry after the two of them or risk losing the pair. The town is devoid of life it seems, it makes Ava feel worried. Every other world she's been to with Sora so far has been filled with people and light. This world feels dark and empty, how long had they been dealing with heartless without a keyblade wielder to come to disperse the darkness? Ava doesn't have the answer and Ava isn't sure she wants the answer.

Chicken Little leads the group to a run-down baseball field, perhaps it was once well taken care of but now it's barely recognizable. The fence has fallen down in places, the bases have been ripped to pieces and the grass is completely overgrown. Kairi frowns as she steps over the broken pieces of the fence.

"Kairi," Ven says. "I don't like the look of this place."

"The Princess can take care of herself," Vanitas says, even as he follows after Kairi. "You saw her in battle back there, she's fine."

"Don't worry," Kairi calls from inside the baseball diamond where she's standing with Chicken Little. "I've been training." She looks around and then looks to Chicken Little. "So... Where's this cat?"

"He's usually around here," he answers, looking around. "Maybe he's not here right now."

At the other side of the baseball field a familiar face walks in over the broken down fence, he blinks and then laughs.

"Well, if it ain't the little princess," Pete laughs. "What are you doing here? Ain't you got better things to do, like tracking down Sora?"

"We've found him actually," Kairi retorts, her keyblade appearing with ease in her hand. "What are you doing here Pete?"

"Well, that's none of your business little princess. I've got more important things to do than deal with you."

Heartless appear all around Kairi and Pete gives a wave before running off. Ava and the others come running over to Kairi but the circle of heartless keeps her separated from them. She moves gracefully. Destiny's Embrace strikes a soldier heartless. Kairi spins in time to block the claws of a shadow moving towards her. Magic swirls around her as she unleashes a blast of light, knocking back the heartless before they can advance on her. Most of the shadows burst into nothingness the second she summons the light, the stronger heartless stay away as the light fades from around her. Skuld and Ven work together to cut down the heartless as they are pushed away from Kairi. Ava heads right to Kairi and Chicken Little.

"Are you alright?"

Kairi nods and Chicken Little does as well. Ava nods as well and then turns her attention to the heartless.

"I told you the Princess can take care of herself," Vanitas calls to Ventus as the former tears his way through the soldier heartless. "She didn't disappoint either."

"Training with Aqua and Riku really has been paying off," Kairi calls as she casts Fira on a Large Body. "I can't wait to show Sora! I bet I could even beat him in a sparring match!"

"Sora probably would throw the match just so he wouldn't have to fight you," Ven says with a laugh.

The last of the Heartless falls under Ava's keyblade. Kairi take a breath, looking towards where Pete disappeared off to

"Come on! We've got to see what he's up to!"

She takes off before anyone can react and Vanitas laughs.

"Looks like Sora has rubbed off on her," he says with a smirk before walking after her leaving the others to follow. There's a beat of silence before they all rush to follow the two wayward keyblade wielders before they can get into any trouble.

In The Castle That Never Was Luxu unlocks the door to the room where Demyx is being held, careful not to drop the sleeping Dandelion that he has thrown over his shoulder. Demyx looks toward's him, the bored expression on his face morphing quickly into one of mischief. Luxu almost regrets not having Aced or Ira take care of this for him, but then he'd have to deal with The Master scolding him for passing his job off to someone else. Especially since The Master decided to assign Gula and Invi to the task of tracking down and bring back Ava. One too many failures for The Master's liking.

"Awe," Demyx says with mock disappointment that makes Luxu long to summon his keyblade and destroy the Nobody. "I thought I was the only guy for you Xiggy."

Luxu drops the sleeping Dandelion unceremoniously onto the ground and attaches the chain that the Master made to the Dandelion's ankle. Luxu isn't sure how the chains work but he knows that it prevents magic or keyblades from working. The Dandelion wakes almost as soon as the chain is secured to his foot.

"I bet you only want him for his body too," Demyx taunts and Luxu takes a breath to keep himself from harming him.

"Where am I you asshole," The Dandelion demands, picking himself off the floor and stretching his hand out to summon his keyblade. The look of shock on his face when nothing happens is almost worth putting up with Demyx.

"Play nice," Luxu says as he turns away from the two. "We need you both alive."

"Don't ignore me Xiggy," Demyx whines as Luxu exits the room quickly. As soon as he's out Demyx looks to his new companion. "So... Who are you?"

"I feel like I should be asking you that," The Dandelion counters. "Considering you seem to know more about what's going on than I do."

"I asked first."

"My name's Julian."

"I'm Demyx. The guy was Xigbar."

"Are you a keyblade wielder too?"

"Me? Not even close! I'm guessing you are?"

"I am, but I don't understand why it didn't come when I tried to summon it!"

"Don't feel bad, I can't get any of my magic to work either," Demyx says as he takes a seat of the floor. "We'll just have to wait for my friends to come to rescue me... At least... I think they'll come to rescue me."

"Why wouldn't they?"

"Well... They're more like, friends of friends, and we weren't on the best of terms until recently," Demyx explains. "What about you? Are you one of Sora's friends? Seems like the only keyblade wielders I ever see know him."

"Sora? No, never heard of anyone by that name," Julian says as he sits down too, leaning his head back against the wall and closing his eyes. "I had friends but... I don't know what happened to them, we all got scattered a long time ago. They could be dead for all I know, so... No one's coming for me."

"Well, when my friends break me out of here I'll take you with us," Demyx says. "They sure won't mind another keyblade wielder around."

"Thanks... But... I'm done being a keyblade wielder, too much pain comes with it, trust me. I just want to go back to my normal life in my world, without having to worry about saving the light or fighting off the darkness or whatever it is that these new keyblade wielders are trying to do..."

"That's really what you want?"

"Honestly? More than anything I want my friends back but... We don't all get what we want."

Julian stands and starts looking about the room, examining every surface he can and following the chain to where it disappears into the wall. "I've played the waiting game before, I'm not playing it again. I'm going to get us out of here."

"Us?"

"You didn't think I'd just leave you in here did you? No, we're in this together now, so... Are you ready to try and escape, Demyx?"

Far away from where Julian and Demyx are planning an escape attempt, the Lauriam is quietly steaming as Even and Ienzo begin work on repairing the computer that will hopefully use the connections in Elrena and Lauriam’s heart to bring his sister into this world in a replica body. His sister that someone he once trusted and called a friend killed in cold blood and someone who is completely ready and willing to do it again.

"You're pouting, Flower Boy," Elrena says, sitting down next to him and waving a finger at him. "Come on, we'll be getting her back soon! You should be smiling."

"We're bringing her back, but her killer is still out there, he's out there and he's willing to kill again. What if we bring her back and we lose her again, for good this time?"

"I think you're worrying too much, Strelitzia isn't a weakling, whatever happened back then is not going to happen again. We're here to make sure of it and Strelitzia's not going to let herself get sidelined again."

"I'm just..."

"Worried," Elrena says with a roll of her eyes. "I am too. We've come this far and we've waited this long if you're that worried, what, are you gonna make her wait until every threat is completely taken care of? Because with the way our lives seem to go she'd be waiting for the rest of our lives."

"I just don't want anything else to happen to her."

"We've got Sora on our side now! That kid would throw himself between us and The Master of Masters in a heartbeat, what I'm saying is, you need to stop worrying so much Flower Boy. Pipsqueak and his friends will love Star Child and they'll look after her if need be."

"You're right."

"That's because I'm always right."

Lauriam laughs.

"So," Xion says suddenly coming over. "What is your sister like?"

Lauriam blinks and Elrena beams, she pats the seat next to her and Xion sits down.

"Let us tell you about Lauriam's little sister," Elrena starts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually don't like Chicken Little that much, it's a fun film for sure but not exactly one of my favorites. Still getting to write Kairi kick but was fun and she will continue to do so in the next chapter. Julian is not content to sit and wait, he did enough of that shit in the Age of Fairytales. It was definitely fun to write Demyx being a little shit though. 
> 
> Next Time; Kairi kicks some more ass. Luxu makes a mistake. Things at Radiant Gardens move faster than anticipated.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Strelitzia is very close to returning. Luxu decides to make his own choice when it comes to his mission. Ava's group splits and runs into a situation.

###  Chapter Seventeen

"Strelitzia was one of the best keyblade wielders I knew," Elrena says as she finishes explaining to Xion what Strelitzia was like. They've gathered quite a crowd since Elrena started talking. Roxas is sitting to Xion's right, Naminé sitting to Xion's left and Sora sitting on the floor. Riku is standing next to where Sora is sitting and Lea is standing just a bit away. Close enough to hear but not with the group. "She was also just... Very shy. Maybe it's because she watched so many other wielders come and go but she never did stay in any group long."

"Do you think she'll still be shy when she comes back," Sora asks. "She didn't seem all that shy when I spoke to her."

"She may have changed some," Lauriam says softly. "But she's still my little sister no matter what."

"Never thought of you as someone who was big on family Marluxia," Lea says. "You just don't seem the type."

"It's Lauriam. Do yourself a favor and get it memorized," Elrena taunts.

"Elrena, he doesn't mean any harm," Lauriam says placing a hand on Elrena's arm. "After all, I'm sure he still calls Isa, Saix from time to time. Right, Axel?"

Roxas and Xion barely contain their laughter as Lea fumbles to recover from everyone suddenly looking at him in anticipation. Lauriam smirks and Elrena laughs.

"I may have my heart back and I may be nicer than I was as a nobody but Elrena isn't the only one who's just like that," Lauriam warns.

"Lauriam here is a big old softie," Elrena says, "Until you piss him off."

"A trait my dear Strelitzia shares, perhaps it's a family trait."

Even approaches, clearing his throat as he does, he looks uncomfortable and it's easy to understand why. The group looks to the scientist who sighs.

"The computer is ready," he tells them. "We should be able to bring her back now. Since she's been there as long as you say she's been we're going to have to have you all sleeping while we trace the connections. We're ready whenever you are."

"This is really happening," Lauriam says, seemingly shocked as Elrena jumps up and tugs on his arm. "I'm really going to get her back."

"Not if you keep sitting there! Now get up! She's waiting for us!"

"Yeah," Sora agrees jumping up as well. "She's waiting for you and has been all this time."

Naminé stands gracefully, smiling at the group as she goes to stand next to Even, who seems irritated by the antics of the group in front of him. Elrena finally pulls Lauriam to his feet and Even starts towards the medical beds set out around the computer as she does. She immediately starts to drag Lauriam towards one of the beds, the one right next to the replica. She huffs as she moves to the bed on the other side of the replica so that Strelitzia will be sandwiched between her and Lauriam when she returns. Familiar faces will be the first thing she sees. If nothing else goes right then at the very least this will, Strelitzia back where she belongs, no longer missing, no longer dead, but alive and loved and back with the two people who went through hell looking for her.

After she's back then Elrena will let herself and Lauriam think about what comes next, what they'll do to Brain for taking her away from them in the first place, but they have to get her back first. She doesn't protest as Even hooks wires up to her, she just closes her eyes and imagines Lauriam and Strelitzia's smiles once the three are all together again.

"Riku is going to cast the sleep spell on you," Even's voice explains. "We'll wake you as soon as she's stable. She probably will wake up right away but we'll do our best to make sure you're awake at the same time."

"Thank you," Lauriam says.

Sleep takes the dandelions looking for their lost flower quickly. Now... It was just a matter of time.

In The Castle That Never Was, Luxu is irritated. If The Master knows that he is he isn't saying anything, he's being obnoxiously quiet as he sits reading through that stupid book. Luxu has half a mind to burn the thing when The Master isn't looking, throw a real wrench in everyone's day. As if sensing his thoughts The Master turns towards him, the book still in hand.

"Is there something I can help you with Luxu," The Master asks, his voice sickly sweet. Luxu does his best to suppress the shiver that wants to run down his spine. Xehanort, Xemnas, Ansem, none of those idiots could compare to The Master, even now after thousands of years just hearing him speak in that tone makes Luxu feel like running and hiding. It's the tone The Master uses right before he lays out punishment for a mistake no matter how small.

"As if."

"Really? Then what are you doing in here? I haven't decided who we're going to pick up next, so it's not to receive your next mission."

"Speak of missions, the one you sent me on... You said that it would be easy, it wasn't."

"You handled it well, despite that, congratulations you completed it without much trouble."

"I get to pick the next dandelion. You already know Ava doesn't have all of them with her."

"And how would I know that?"

"You've got your book."

"How smart you've gotten," The Master taunts. "Fine, you want to pick, go ahead, but you're responsible for anything that happens after." He places the book into Luxu's hands, despite his face being hidden behind the hood Luxu can feel his gaze on him. He can feel The Master's smirk and the way he's examining him like a scientist examines a particularly interesting specimen they plan on dissecting.

It's moments like this Luxu almost misses Ava. If she were here she'd do something to get The Master's attention off of him. Usually something like 'accidentally' knocking over a book or chair. Something that would take The Master's attention off of him for even a moment, allowing Luxu to sneak away before The Master could look back at him. Luxu never did figure out what happened to Ava after she'd do that, she'd just show up a few hours later looking tired. Occasionally there'd be bruises but after The Master had everyone wear their masks and robes Luxu could no longer see whatever bruises might have been hiding under those pink robes.

Luxu shakes himself out of his thoughts, what's done is done, nothing can change that now. Luxu's made his choice and Ava's made hers. She's not here to take the attention off of him and he's not the same young and scared boy he was then. He's not. A glance over the list has him blink in surprise. He... Wasn't expecting that. Well, The Master was right about Ephemer, the boy is far out of their reach for now. He files that information away in the back of his head and closes the book.

"I need Aced and Ira," Luxu says casually.

"So you've decided who you're going after? Good, good. Take Aced and Ira if you need them, just make sure you all come back in one piece. I need all of you, you know."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Remember, whatever comes of this is on you... And you no longer have Ava here to cover for you."

"As if I need her. This'll be easy. I'll be back before you know it."

The Master doesn't bother responding, he just turns his back to Luxu, book in hand, and goes back to reading. Luxu rolls his eye before heading out, he's got a dandelion to pick.

Far away from The Castle That Never Was Kairi is chasing down Pete with the rest of the group close on her tail as she runs ahead of them. A wave of heartless appears ahead of Kairi and she launches into them, keyblade ready as she attacks the Armored Knight without a moment's hesitation. Chicken Little fights alongside her and despite his small size holds his own against the wave of heartless all around. The others catch up to her quickly enough and hurry into battle. Ava takes a moment to watch how she holds herself in battle, throwing herself at the heartless over and over without even taking a moment to breathe. Ava casts a quick cure on Kairi, taking away some of the exhaustion Kairi hadn't realized was steeping in. The group quickly takes out the heartless.

"Come on," Kairi says. "If we don't hurry he's going to get away."

"Kairi is right, we should hurry if we want to find out what that Pete fellow is after," Ava says despite her worry for her little group. "At the very least we should drive him and the heartless away from this world so that the people here can start rebuilding."

"Right," the group says.

"We'll cover more ground if we split up," Terra recommends. "We'll use our gummiphones to call for help if anything goes wrong."

"I don't want to split up but I will admit it's the best way to cover the most ground," Ava says nodding.

"Aqua, Ven, Skuld and I can circle back around towards the baseball field and see if Pete went back there," Terra offers.

"Chicken Little could you lead me, Kairi, and Vanitas here through town," Ava asks the small bird. "We're going to do our best to clear out the heartless for you."

"I can!"

"Be safe," Skuld says as she starts off with Terra's group.

"We'll be fine," Ava assures her. "Try to keep Ven out of trouble."

"Hey," Ven protests.

"We will," Terra says with a laugh.

Ava watches them walk back towards the baseball field, she ignores the worry that's gripping her heart. She's sure they will be fine, they're strong enough to carry themselves, she has to trust in them. She turns to her group, smiling softly at them.

"Whenever you're ready Chicken Little," she says to the young fowl. "We're going to do what we can to help your town."

"I know you will," Chicken Little replies. "You're Sora's friends, right? I know Sora and I like to think his friends would be just as kind as he is."

"You know Sora," Kairi asks and the little fowl nods. "Well I'll be sure to let him know we ran into you, I'll even bring him back for a visit once you get your town back in order. For now, let's get rid of that jerk Pete."

"Sora makes friends in the weirdest places," Vanitas mutters to himself Chicken Little begins to lead the group through town.

The town is silent. Absently Vanitas wonders if anyone is even left in those houses or if their hearts have all been consumed by darkness, turned into the heartless the group now cuts down without hesitation. Kairi and Chicken little chat with each other softly while they walk. Distantly there's a sound of a battle. Ava pauses, looking towards where the group came from as she does.

"Do you think that's Ven's group," Kairi asks listening to the far off sounds.

"If they needed help they'd call on the Gummiphone," Vanitas says dismissively. "Besides Venty Wenty isn't going to go down easy. And Skuld is no pushover when it comes to her keyblade. They'll be fine. They probably just ran into some heartless, nothing we have to worry about. They can take care of themselves."

"We should have faith in them," Ava says, wringing her hands as she does, glancing back towards where the group had come from. The sounds of the battle settle down and Kairi pulls out her phone and sends a text to Ven. Moments later a response comes through.

"Ven says they are fine, just some heartless," Kairi says with a sigh of relief.

"I told you," Vanitas says with a roll of his eyes. "We can't waste time worrying about the other group, they can handle themselves and we don't need the distraction."

"Look," Chicken Little says suddenly, pointing towards the town hall. "There he is!"

Ahead of the group is Pete, who is entering into the town hall, he doesn't seem to notice the group as he heads into the building. Kairi rushes forward heading straight for the town hall. She throws the door open and heads inside with Ava and the others hot on her heels. Inside the town hall, Pete is talking to a goose wearing a familiar hat, one that the group had seen not too long ago. Vanitas's keyblade is in his hands as soon as he sees it, stepping in front of Ava and glaring down the pair inside the town hall.

"Brain," Vanitas spits glaring at the goose.

"Oh, it's you again," Brain says casually. "I'm guessing it's safe to assume Ventus and Skuld are here somewhere too?"

"Like I'd tell you."

"It doesn't if you tell me, I know they're here. They'll understand someday. I did what had to be done to save us all. Strelitzia's leadership would have allowed the world to perish, my interference saved us all."

"You killed an innocent girl and caused her brother years of heartache and questions that he would never get answers to," Ava says with narrowed eyes as she steps out from behind Vanitas. "Don't you feel any remorse for what you've done? The people you hurt? The lies you told?"

"Do you?"

"Yes! I'm living every moment knowing I should be dead! Knowing my blind faith in someone lead to the deaths of countless children! I am doing all I know how to repent for those actions! What about you? You said it yourself when we meet earlier, you'd do it again if you had to."

"I would do it again," Brain says coldly. "In fact, I will do it again. Surely you know that your Master's plan cannot be allowed to come to pass. The other Foretellers are to close to him for us to act against, but you... You're right here in the open. You don't have your Master or Luxu to hid behind out here."

"Master Ava doesn't need to hide behind anyone," Vanitas snarls.

"A strange thing to say when you stepped in front of her the second you saw me."

"Come on Brain," Pete says. "We've got more important things to do than taunt some of Sora's little friends."

"Actually we don't. After all, that is Master Ava, the very person whose existence is all that stands in the way of what Maleficent has been promised."

"That's her," Pete asks pointing at Ava. "Why she doesn't look all that intimidating! Are you sure this is the right person? I thought you and-"

"Enough," Brain says. "You've saved me some time by coming here without your whole group."

Heartless appear all around the group, Kairi's keyblade is in her hand as soon as they appear and Chicken Little looks ready to fight. Ava refrains from summoning her keyblade, looking at Brain with a soft look.

"You don't have to do this," she says. "Whoever you're working with, whatever it is that you think they'll be able to do, they're using you. I'm not going to submit to The Master of Masters, there's no reason for this violence."

"I appreciate what you're trying to do but I'm not going to fall for it though. You Master cannot complete his plan without you. I am not going to put all of my faith in your ability to resist going back to him."

The keyblade Brain summons into his hand is Master Eraqus's defender, the keyblade means little to Kairi and Ava but Vanitas makes note of the keyblade and files the information away to tell Ventus and the others later.

"Make yourself useful Pete and keep Master Ava's students busy," Brain says.

The heartless move out of Pete’s way as they also seem to push Ava towards Brain and away from Kairi and Vanitas. Vanitas growls, twisting his keyblade in his hand as he launches himself towards Pete and the heartless. Kairi and Chicken Little charge in right after. Ava stares at Brain, her keyblade still not in her hands as she smiles soft and sad at Brain.

"Is killing me really going to make anything better?"

"It's not about making things better," Brain snaps. "I've made my choices and I don't plan on trying to atone. I'm doing what I have to do to save this world. I'm not going to let anything or anyone stand in my way. Including you."

He moves, charging Ava, his keyblade swinging down at Ava’s head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHH!!! I know I'm the one who wrote this chapter but it literally makes me scream whenever I re-read it. God Ava really is just two seconds away from being a disaster like everyone else. Now's not the best time to be trying to reason with someone who wants you dead, Ava. 
> 
> Next Time: ???


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luxu leads an assault against Radiant Gardens.

### Chapter Eighteen

The lab is quiet as Even and Ienzo hurry about, the replica already taking on the appearance of a young girl, around Sora's age, with orange hair. Xion looks on in amazement as the girl begins to breathe. The lab equipment beeping steadily as Strelitizia's heart is secured inside its new vessel.

"That's Marluxia's sister, huh," Lea says watching in amazement.

"She probably wouldn't know who you were talking about if you referred to him by that name," Even says from his place at the computer. "For her sake refer to him as Lauriam."

"Fine," Lea answers, standing up and walking a slow lap around the room. "I wonder how true those stories Lar- Elrena was telling us are."

"I don't know," Riku answers, pushing himself away from the wall he was leaning on. "If they were true Strelitzia was a powerful wielder and we should be concerned about this Brain if he really did strike her down. I'm just glad Sora's here with us and not out there with a possible murder. I wish Kairi was here as well..."

"Kairi's been training hard with you and Aqua," Roxas reminds him. "I bet she'd beat that creep the first chance she gets."

"She's getting a lot better," Xion agrees. "She beat me in a sparring match the other day."

"Have some faith in her," Lea agrees with a laugh. "She's stronger than you think!"

"I'm allowed to worry," Riku says looking away. "I've lost them both more times than I care to admit."

"Well, she's also with Master Aqua and Master Ava," Roxas says with a shrug. "And if Master Ava can manage to keep Sora out of trouble long enough to get him back to us I think she'll be fine keeping an eye on Kairi for a bit."

"That's not going to stop him from worrying," Xion says wisely. "Just like Isa never stops worrying about us."

"You've got that right," Lea complains slightly. "He's been texting me this whole time. I told him we're fine and that with all of us here there's not anything to worry about but that's not stopping him."

"Well," Luxu says as he steps out of the dark corridor with Aced and Ira behind him. "He's actually got a reason to worry about you now."

"Don't let them get over here! We need more time to stabilize her in her new body," Even yells from his spot at the computer.

"Got it," Roxas calls back, his keyblades shimmering to life in his hands. "They aren't getting past us."

"Oh, come on Xigbar! Don't you have anything better to do," Lea taunts. "Like harassing poor Ava? She was very upset you broke her mask and tore those robes of hers."

"Gula and Invi are tracking down Ava," Luxu says casually.

"Gula," Xion asks. "Isn't that the loser Isa beat up?"

"I think it is," Riku agrees. "So these guys can't be all that tough hanging out with creeps like Xigbar."

"Silence," yells Aced, his keyblade in hand. "Is this a fight or a reunion?!"

Roxas glares as his friends summon their keyblades, he takes a step forward, glancing back once to look at those they are protecting. Asleep without any knowledge of what's going on around them they're relying on those who are still awake to protect them. Sora's heart sheltered Roxas and Xion and Ventus. Roxas looks to Xion, her keyblade in her hands, and she nods to him. It's time to give back.

Roxas charges Aced, taking him off guard with his dual-wielding. Aced blocks one keyblade but is too slow to block the second. Riku blocks a blow from Luxu who rushes him. Xion and Lea turn their attention to Ira. Xion darts in, drawling the unicorn masked foreteller's attention as Lea comes from behind and attacks. Ira looks to Aced despite the attacking forces and despite the two not being able to see each other's faces seems to communicate with just that look.

Lea and Xion are shocked at how fast Ira moves. He hits Xion aside with his keyblade with ease, sending her flying into a wall. Lea doesn't have time to process that because he's next. Ira's keyblade hits him in the stomach and he collapses to his knees from the force of the blow. Ira moves, quickly, to Aced's side, blocking one of Roxas's keyblades before it can make contact with Aced. Aced blocks the other before moving away from the two, making his way towards Lea and Xion. Xion picks herself up out of the rubble of the wall.

"Cura," she calls and her magic wraps itself around Lea, healing his wounds near instantaneously.

"Thanks, Xion," he calls as she limps out of the rubble around her. "But don't forget about yourself! Cura!"

His magic always feels hot and dry, like a raging fire or the deserts of Agrabah, but for once it's refreshing as it heals the wounds Xion would have forgotten to take care of. She smiles at him. A smile that quickly falls from her face at the sight of Aced's keyblade raised above his head, ready to strike.

"Behind you!"

Lea moves just in time. The floor where he had been shattered from the force of Aced's blow.

"We just need a little more time," Ienzo calls. "Once we have her stabilized we'll wake them up to help you!"

"Easy for you to say," Lea mutters as he dodges another attack.

Luxu and Riku are locked in battle. Riku notices that Luxu's attack style is different now that he has a keyblade, no longer able to attack from a distance he moves quickly. Luxu's keyblade hits Riku's chest, legs and then arm before Luxu backs off, smirking as he moves. Riku brings his keyblade around, only for it to be blocked by Luxu's keyblade. That infuriating smirk still on his face.

"You think you kids can play Keyblade Master just because some old coot gives you a test," Luxu taunts. "But it's so much more than that!"

The darkness rolling off of Luxu is almost visible and it does give cause Ira and Aced pause, but they can't pause for long. Roxas's Oblivion hits Ira across the chest, reminding him he's still in a battle that he had to finish. Xion's Kingdom Key makes contact with Aced's side, if it causes him any pain it's impossible to tell because he just responds by sending his keyblade down upon Xion. It strikes the top of her shoulder and runs her down her arm. She cries out, almost dropping her keyblade from the vicious attack.

Lea rushes to her aid, his keyblade hitting Aced's back before moving around and snatching up Xion, rushing her out of reach of the bear masked keyblade master. He presses a potion into her hand.

"Drink it and stay here," he says before hurrying back into the fray before Aced can move onto another opponent.

He knows he can't beat the Foreteller, he's not sure Roxas or Riku can beat their opponents either, but they aren't trying to win these battles, they're trying to buy time until the cavalry arrives in the form of Lauriam, Elrena, Sora, and Strelitzia. He just hopes the four extra keyblade wielders will provide enough of an edge to send the three ancient keyblade masters back to wherever they came from. Xion watches, letting the potion take effect and wonders, 'Is Master Ava as strong as these two are?'

It would make sense, she's from the same time as they are, she was trained under the same master as they did. It would make sense that she had a similar level of power hiding under that calm and sweet facade.

"Just a little longer," Even assures them as Ienzo moves over to Strelitzia. "She's almost completely stabilized!"

"Great," Lea calls. "The sooner we get some back up the better! This isn't as easy as it looks."

Riku grunts as Luxu's keyblade hits him in the stomach at the same time Ira sends Roxas flying with a blow. Roxas is sent flying right into Riku and the two fall into a heap. Luxu raises his keyblade ready to strike and Lea moves.

Clash!

Lea's keyblade connects in time to block Luxu's, Riku and Roxas breath heavily as they try to catch their breath.

"Curaga," Xion calls, the healing spell washing over Riku and Roxas as Xion, with her keyblade held tight, comes running back into the battle.

"She's stabilized," Ienzo says. "We just need to wake them!"

"We need to act now," Luxu says to Ira and Aced. "We can't fail."

Ira and Aced nod and Aced brings his keyblade over his head. "Bear Claw," he calls, voice ringing clear as he does.

The effect is immediate. It's as if his keyblade has become longer and made out of light, shining bright he brings it down upon the four. The building shakes as the hit lands, dust files the air. Even and Ienzo watch with bated breath as the dust settles back down, revealing the four heroes, eyes closed, bruised and bloodied on the ground.

"Aced, Ira, grab the other two," Luxu calls from behind Ienzo. Ienzo whirls around and sees thrown over Luxu's shoulder is Lauriam, still asleep from the spell he allowed Riku to place on him in order to save his sister. Strelitzia stirs on the medical table, her heart fully integrated into her new replica body. Aced grabs Elrena and throws the sleeping woman over his shoulder like a ragdoll. Strelitzia opens her eyes. She gasps at the sight of her brother and friend's unconscious bodies being taken towards a corridor of darkness. Ira moves towards her and she doesn't hesitate. She's on her feet with her keyblade in her hands in an instant.

She attacks, her keyblade hitting Ira across the face, he steps back surprised at the attack. Strelitzia leaps forward, attacking again, with magic this time.

"Firaga," she calls, the fireball striking Ira across the chest.

"We don't have time for this," Luxu growls. "They're going to wake up any second now! Just leave her!"

The corridor of darkness opens beside Luxu and he hurries through with Aced and then Ira hurrying after him. Strelitzia nearly collapses the second after the corridor closes behind them, only being caught by Ienzo.

"You shouldn't have done that," he scolds lightly, sitting her back down on her medical bed. "You're not used to this body yet."

"T-they took my brother," Strelitzia says, tears welling up in her eyes. "I couldn't do anything to stop them."

"Well," Ienzo says awkwardly. "They were trying to take you too and you stopped them from doing that. Your brother would be proud that you kept yourself out of danger."

"We should check to see that they're still alive," Even says suddenly looking towards the Riku and the others.

"Yes," Ienzo says. "We should also check Sora and Naminé to make sure the battle didn't affect them at all. We should also do a check on you, Strelitzia, you shouldn't have jumped into battle right after waking up like that."

Even walks calmly over to Riku and the others, he looks over them with a calm expression, nodding as he does. Ienzo carefully examines Sora and Naminé while Strelitzia watches, rubbing the tears from her eyes she takes a steadying breath. Lauriam needs her. Elrena needs her. She's not going to be weak, not this time. Never again.

"They're alive," Even says casually. "I'll get potions for them."

"No need," Strelitzia says stubbornly. "I've got this." Her keyblade is in her hands again and she focuses on the four. "Cura! Cura! Cura! Cura!"

Immediately after casting the last cura she feels weak, sleepy, and knows she's overdone it. She thinks it's worth it when she sees the four strangers move slowly, picking themselves off the ground, their wounds healing before her very eyes.

"Are you okay," she asks softly, causing them to look to her.

"Yeah," Roxas answers. "You must be Strelitzia."

She nods.

"Are you... Friends with my brother?"

"Something like that," Riku says. "We were helping him get you back and then... Well, I don't know how much you saw when you woke up."

"I don't really understand what I saw," Strelitzia admits. "But I know that Master Aced and Master Ira helped kidnap my brother and my friend and that's all I need to know!"

"Yes, well, you should be more careful," Even scolds. "First you fight Xigbar's allies right after waking up without a care and then you go casting powerful healing magic all in a row. You're lucky you didn't pass out from overexertion young lady."

"Well she's fine, so leave her alone," Roxas says.

"T-thank you!"

"Riku," Sora says, sitting up from the bed he's on and rubbing his eyes sleepily. "What happened?"

"Sora," Riku says, rushing to his best friend. "Xigbar attacked with some of those foretellers and took Lauriam and Elrena by the look of it. Strelitzia managed to come back though."

"Strelitzia," Naminé asks softly from her bed, staring at the girl she'd only seen once. "I'm Naminé."

Strelitzia beams, "I know who you are! You're my friend who helped me when I needed it most!"

"Ah," Naminé says smiling softly before getting off the bed and rushing over to Strelitzia and pulling the shy keyblade wielder into a hug. "You did the same for me! Thank you!"

"I'm so glad to finally meet you," Strelitzia says, hugging Naminé tight. "I'm so glad to finally be alive again... I... I was so alone for so long!"

Tears well up in her eyes again and this time they fall freely, a second pair of arms wrap around her, she blinks back her tears to see Sora hugging her and Naminé. Riku smiles fondly which gets him a grin from Sora.

"Join us," Sora demands of his friends, staring right at Riku.

"Yes," Naminé agrees. "Group hug!"

"I don't know," Roxas says, uncertain.

"I do," Lea says, dragging his two young friends into the hug, laughing as he does.

"Come on Riku," Sora calls. "You're the only one not in on the hug!"

"It's a group hug for a reason Riku," Naminé teases.

"Come on, I'm even getting in on it," Roxas says as well.

"It's nice," Xion adds.

Strelitzia buries her face into Naminé's shoulder, laughing and crying as she does, hugging the blonde girl a little tighter. After a moment's hesitation, Riku joins in on the hug which causes Strelitzia to laugh aloud a little, even as the tears roll freely down her face. So... This is what it's like to have friends.

Elsewhere, inside the Castle That Never Was, another, less joyful, meeting is about to take place. Julian and Demyx have been plotting, trying to think of a way out of their captivity. The sound of footsteps drawing near their room has them moving quickly. There are two other sets of chains in the room with them, Julian hides behind the door, a large book in his hands as the door opens.

"Get them into the chains quick before they wake up," Luxu says.

"Xiggy," Demyx complains immediately. "Why did you have to bring them?!"

Julian can't see who Demyx is talking about from his position behind the door, but he can tell that Xigbar is not in the room by himself, a fact that complicates this escape plan. Hopefully, he's too busy with whatever he's having his companions do to notice the fact that Julian is not visible. There's no point in trying this plan if it's not going to work right off the bat.

"Shut up," Luxu replies to Demyx.

"But Xiggy!"

"Xiggy," Ira questions and oh, Julian makes a note of that immediately.

'What is Lord Ira doing with a creep like Xigbar,' Julian thinks to himself, doing his best to stay still behind the door.

"Yeah," Demyx answers cheerfully. "Xiggy!"

"What a... nice nickname," Aced says, holding back laughter.

'Lord Aced too," Julian thinks, 'Well... That at least makes more sense.'

"Enjoy your new cellmates," Luxu says and the sound of footsteps leaving the room and then the door closes.

Julian looks about the room. Demyx is hiding behind the few pillows in the room, looking fearfully at... Lauriam. Julian blinks in surprise. That was not who he was expecting at all. His heart soars a little. If Lauriam was here... That means Ephemer and Skuld might be too!

"Lauriam," Julian yells, rushing to the still sleeping man. He notes that Lauriam's friend Elrena is here as well.

"Wait! Julain no that guy's dangerous!"

"Who? Lauriam? No way."

"His name is Marluxia and he's horrible!"

"Mar-what? That's stupid. This is Lauriam."

Julian shakes Lauriam's shoulders despite Demyx's protest and Lauriam awakes.

"Y-you?"

"Nice to see you Lauriam," Julian says. "I see you've got Elrena with you."

"Strelitzia! No! NO! NO!! Did it work?! Is she okay?!"

Demyx looks puzzled as does Julian.

"Hey," Julian says. "Why don't you start from the beginning?"

And so Lauriam does.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Strelitzia's back! But she came at a rough time... Her brother and best friend now captured and elsewhere Ava is in danger. Luckily she's strong and is going to get through this! Look at her go, taking on Keyblade Masters the second she's brought back from death! Are things looking up? Or is this the beginning of the end?
> 
> Next time: Ava's fate.


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ava's fate.

###  Chapter Nineteen

Clang!

The sound of two keyblades hitting against each other rings out, Ava blinks in surprise at the sight of a leopard standing in front of her, their keyblade, Gula's keyblade, blocking the blow meant for Ava.

"Gula?!"

Gula pushes Brain's keyblade away, turning his attention to Ava.

"What were you thinking," he demands, glancing back at her.

"If you wish to take her place in this fate," Brain says, leveling his keyblade at Gula, "Than so be it!"

A ball of fire hits Brain in the back, causing him to gasp and spin around to find an angry purple swan, Ava blinks in surprise.

"Invi," she questions. "Why are you a swan??"

"Ava," Gula and Invi both shout incredulously.

"I don't think now's the time for questions like that Master Ava," Vanitas calls as he dodges an attack from Pete.

"So," Brain says, his voice calm, "It looks like he was right, your Master does need you alive enough to risk his pawns to save you."

He points his keyblade at Invi, "Thundaga."

The lightning magic rains down from the sky, striking Invi a number of times even as she dodges out of the way of some of the attack. Ava looks worried back and forth between Kairi and Vanitas fighting Pete and the Heartless and Invi under the assault of Brain.

"Go help them," Gula whispers. "I'll go help Invi."

Ava nods, her keyblade appearing in her hand as Gula's keyblade strikes Brain in the back and Ava's keyblade swings down on a heartless. Kairi twirls out of the way of an attack from Pete as Vanitas hits him in the back with his keyblade. An armored guard lashes out at Kairi who blocks and counters the attack as Pete swings at her again, meeting Vanitas's keyblade as it blocks the blow. Ava cuts down a soldier heartless with ease, slowly but surely clearing a path through the heartless towards Kairi and Vanitas.  Chicken Little attacks the heartless alongside Kairi and Vanitas, covering the two as best as he can against the onslaught of heartless and Pete's attacks.

Gula and Invi dodge out of the way of a Dark Firaga shot at them by Brain who moves quickly and with power behind each of his movements. He twists, his keyblade hitting Invi in the ribs. Gula retaliates for his friend, attacking Brain from behind and darting out of the way. Brain growls and shots another Dark Firaga towards Gula, who rolls out of the way. Invi raises her keyblade and a blizzaga goes shooting towards Brain.

He moves but he's too late, the blizzaga hits him dead on and Gula rushes in while he's recovering, his keyblade hitting Brain in the side before Gula darts back out.

"Thundaga," Brain calls again, catching the two foretellers off guard.

The lightning magic strikes them and they brush it off, staying steady on their feet. Brain moves again, striking Gula across the chest. Invi sends a fira shooting at Brain but he dodges out of the way easily enough. A blizzard leaves his keyblade and Invi dodges out of the way at the same time Gula moves to sneak behind Brain. He darts forward, his keyblade to hit Brain in the back, and Brain twists around his keyblade blocking Gula's. Gula growls and darts away. Invi brings her keyblade around. It hits Brain in the side.

Kairi summons her light, pushing the heartless and Pete back, Vanitas and Chicken Little take their retreat to their advantage. Vanitas hits Pete in the side while Chicken Little destroys a soldier heartless. Pete growls and hits Vanitas with a ball of darkness, which does little against the Master of the Unversed. Kairi moves again, striking an armored guard and it burst into nothingness, defeated. A ball rolls out from Pete, Kairi goes to jump away but it explodes. She's thrown back but recovers quickly, moving closer to Vanitas, who nods at her. She nods back and unleashes another blast of light, knocking back the heartless and Pete again.

Ava pushes her way through the heartless, her keyblade cutting down a solider. She moves in time to avoid an armored guards attack. She counterattacks, hitting it with all her strength. It disappears under her might. Pete turns and notices her breaking her way through the heartless wall and more heartless appear around her.

"Will it never end," she exclaims, turning her keyblade towards a soldier and unleashing a powerful firaga without even blinking.

"Cura," Invi calls, her magic rushing over Gula as he rolls out of the way of a Dark Firaga sent his way by Brain.

"Thanks," he calls, moving in to attack.

Brain blocks, twisting his keyblade and sending Gula's flying from his hand. Gula curses.

"Invi, I need cover!"

"On it! Thundara!"

Gula darts out of the way while Brain dodges the lightning magic, Gula snatches his keyblade up from the group, turning on his heels. Invi sends a Fira hurling at Brain and Gula knows she running low on magic. She's going to need to recharge soon. Gula's not as good at magic as Invi or Ava, but he can do a few of the basic spells.

"Fire," he calls, catching Brain off guard as Invi sweeps in to attack. Her keyblade hits Brain across his shoulder.

Kairi dodges out of the way of Pete's fist and immediately has to block an attack from a soldier heartless. Chicken Little helps her, attacking the soldier give Kairi a moment to breathe as she jumps out of the way of one of Pete's dark energy balls. Her chest is starting to hurt when she breathes, her breathing is getting more labored. A glance at Vanitas shows he's looking tired, his keyblade isn't held as high or as confident as it was before. She looks about, Ava is still making her way through the heartless, they just have to hold on until she gets to them. She'll help, Kairi knows she will. She gasps in pain as a soldier heartless lands a hit on her back, she twirls, Destiny's Embrace hitting the soldier in the neck, if it had been a person it would have been decapitated, but as it's a heartless, it just disappears, releasing a heart as it does.

"Cura," Kairi says, her magic wrapping around her, her magic feels light, like a breeze from the ocean and it helps with the stinging of her wounds and the aching of her bruises even if it does nothing for her exhaustion.

"Be more careful Princess," Vanitas calls he dodges an attack but the dodge is sloppier than the one's Kairi has seen from him so far.

An armored guard attacks him and he misses the block. He cries out in pain and Kairi pushes herself, she unleashes another blast of light magic. Some of the soldier heartless disperse. Kairi's vision goes black around the edges, she feels oddly light like she's floating. She's suddenly in someone's arms.

"My brother would kill me if I let anything happen to you," Vanitas sneers, pressing an elixir into her hand. "Drink this and stay behind me, you've done great, but you need to rest until you're ready to fight again."

"I can fight," she protests.

"You can fight," Vanitas agrees, an unversed blocks a heartless's attack. "But we all have our limits and I know I'm starting to reach mine."

Ava notices the two and their exhaustion and doubles down on her efforts to reach them, she cuts through another armored guard and calls forth her copies to help her break her way through the line. It's difficult to focus on keeping the copy together with the sounds of the battle behind her. She hears Gula call for Thundaga, he's not one for using magic but if he's using it that means Invi has run low and she's trying to recharge. They'll be at their most vulnerable right now and Ava longs to turn and help them. She can't, she has other responsibilities to deal with first, they're keyblade masters and her friends, she must have faith in them.

Ava glances back, worried for Gula and Invi as she finally clears a way through the heartless. Invi is engaged with Brain, their keyblades interlocked while Gula circles around. Ava turns her attention back towards the Vanitas and Kairi. She can't allow herself to get distracted right now. She needs to help Vanitas, Kairi, and Chicken Little get out of here before she can worry about her friends. She turns her keyblade in her hand, her spell on the tip of her tongue when the sound of a pained cry behind her causes her to twist back around. Ava isn't sure what happened in the few moments between her turning away from Gula and Invi and her turning back around but what she is sure of is that Invi and Gula are now both unmoving on the ground.  Brain's keyblade is raised over his head and he's about to bring it down onto Invi.

"No," Ava screams. Everything slows down, she's pointing her keyblade towards the sky, her eyes glowing as a light burst forth from her keyblade. Everything goes white, Ava feels like she's being torn apart as light pours out of her heart from the tip of her keyblade. It envelops everything, destroying the heartless on contact.

Kairi notices the second the light meets her that she feels less tired, her breathing is easier and her muscles don't hurt as much. Even Vanitas looks better despite his talk of being all darkness, the white light coming from Ava's keyblade enveloping them but keeping them safe. Brain and Pete scream, whatever this light is it isn't good for them. The light fades almost as quickly as it appeared, Brain and Pete look exhausted, Brain's holding his one arm gingerly and he growls, quickly turning and opening a corridor of darkness.

"Let's get out of here," Brain says to Pete, "I know when I'm outclassed."

Invi and Gula sit up from where they are on the ground. Ava rushes to them without a second thought.

"Cura," she says, her magic healing the injuries that the light hadn't gotten to. "Cura."

She offers Invi her hand, helping her friend to her feet and looking her over for any injuries, sighing in relief at the sight of her seemingly okay. She turns her attention to Gula next, who's pulling himself off the ground without any help.

"I'm fine," he assures her before she can ask.

"I was so worried," she says, pulling them both into a hug.

Kairi and Vanitas exchange worried looks. What in the world was that light?

"Master Ava," Vanitas says carefully. "We don't... Know why they're here remember."

Ava pulls away from Invi and Gula, taking a step back, glancing at Gula who gives the smallest of nods. Ava frown. So that's how it is.

"The Master sent you to bring me back didn't he," Ava asks, taking another step away from Invi and Gula and towards Vanitas and Kairi.

"He did," Invi says. "I'm glad he did. You almost allowed yourself to be struck down Ava!"

"I would have defended myself," Ava says defensively, looking away. Gula knows that look, she’s lying...

"It didn't look that way from what I saw,” Invi exclaims.

"Well, you didn't see correctly. I wouldn't have allowed myself to be killed, I have too much to do,” Ava says shortly, shuffling her feet as she does. 

"You should come back," Invi says. "The Master is worried for you! He said you might be in danger and he was right! We miss you, Ava... Whatever those lairs," Invi looks briefly to Kairi and Vanitas who exchange confused looks. "Have been telling you is not true. Come home."

"My students haven't been telling me anything," Ava says coldly. "If you really want to know who told me the information who sent me down this path you should look within your own ranks. We never did find the traitor did we..."

"Are you saying you found the traitor," Gula asks.

"I am," Ava responds. "Luxu knows the sins he committed. You should ask him about what happened on the hilltop but I doubt he'll tell you the truth on the matter."

"Ava," Invi pleads. "Please, we can talk this out, whatever you think Luxu did-"

"It's not what I think he did Invi, it's what I know he did. It's what I know he did and it's what I know The Master is planning. I can't come back. If I do things will be so much worse than they are now Invi. I made these worlds, my dandelions put these worlds together, protecting the light after the war was my role! And... No matter what I'm going to continue that goal. I will see this through to its end. I am the hope for the light. You should ask yourself if what you're doing is really something that someone aligned with the light would really do."

"The Master-"

"Is a lot more of a monster than you realize," Ava cuts Invi off. "He left us Invi, he left us and he left us with roles that lead to us tearing each other apart. He knew what he was doing. He knew what was going to happen if he did it. He did what he wanted without a care for us. Ask yourself honestly Invi, if he could do that once, couldn't he do it again?" There’s a pained tone in Ava’s voice, she hugs herself, shaking slightly.

"The Master did what he had to do," Invi says, but she sounds uncertain. "How can you turn your back on him! How could you turn your back on us!"

"Maybe it's you who has turned your back on me, Invi."

A tear runs down Ava's face, she glances at Gula, who's frowning, she smiles sadly at him, she's glad he's here, even if he's standing beside Invi in order to protect Ava in the long run. Ava takes a breath, stepping closer to Vanitas and Kairi.

"I won't be going back," Ava says again, her voice strong and clear despite the tears running down her cheeks. "I love you both but I can't come back."

Invi's keyblade is in her hands, despite the mask Ava can tell she's conflicted about this. Ava doesn't bother summoning her keyblade, she summons a copy, its keyblade is already out. She smiles softly and sadly at the pair.

"Ava," Gula says, he sounds worried but Ava just smiles, which makes him nod slightly. He's sure the copy won't really hurt them, just keep them busy until Ava gets out of there with her students. Ava doesn't want to hurt Invi, and Gula already understands what Ava knows. He understands and even if he can't be by her side he will do what he can to protect her.

"Please... Be safe," Ava says, turning away.

The copy sends a blizzara at the two foretellers as Ava runs out of the town hall with Vanitas, Kairi, and Chicken Little following after her. She runs and runs and runs and doesn't stop running until they've reached the baseball field and the tears are running down her face freely and she's hiccupping as she tries to catch her breath. Vanitas hangs back a bit, unsure how to comfort her but Kairi heads right over to her, pulling the keyblade master into a hug as she sobs. The only sound around is that of Ava's sobs and Kairi's quiet words, said so softly that Vanitas isn't able to hear whatever it is that is being said.

Ventus's group comes around the corner, they freeze at the sight of Ava and Kairi hugging, Ava crying as they do. Vanitas motions them over and explains what happened as best as he can. Ava takes a steadying breath, turning, with some tears still running down her face to the now reunited group. She tries to smile even if she doesn't really feel like smiling right now.

"We need to get off this world," Ava says, her voice still strong despite her breakdown. "Master Invi will pursue us if we stay on this world, Master Gula is with her so he may try to find a way to slow her down but we cannot count on that forever. It's best we make haste and leave this world. We managed to find and drive off Pete so everything should return to normal."

"Thank you for your help," Chicken Little says. "I hope you and your family work out whatever it was that's going on! I know it took me a long time to fix things with my dad when our relationship got all messed up because I said the sky was falling!"

Ava blinks at the small fowl, "T-Thank you?"

"You're welcome!"

He smiles and waves before heading back into town, Ava smiles in confusion before taking another steadying breath.

"Alright," she says, smiling at her group again, a brighter smile this time. "Let's go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh god. I'm so sorry. I totally forgot to upload this and I had it ready and everything. Oh, shoot. Sorry about that guys. I was taking a break for my health and forgot to upload the chapter I already had written. So thank you for your patience with me.
> 
> Next time: Invi and Gula seek answers about the mysterious light attack Ava unleashed. Ava learns about the attack on Radiant Gardens and Lauriam and Elrena's abduction.


	20. Chapter Twenty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gula and Invi report into to the Master about their fight with Ava. Ava finds out about the attack on Radiant Gardens. A decision is made.

### Chapter Twenty

The copy falls under a blow from Invi's keyblade, Gula is glad she's the one who destroyed it because he knows, even if it is just one of Ava's illusions, he could never strike her down. Carefully he hands Invi a potion and sips at an elixir, wondering what they were going to do now. Returning to the Master was not an idea that Gula was fond of. Not when he knew that The Master was not as benevolent as Gula once thought him to be. If Ava was right, and Ava was always right, then The Master was only using them. This whole time... Everything Gula had known was a lie and The Master was only using him... Like a tool.

There were also two other matters that Gula wanted answers on. Luxu... What Ava said about him, that he was the traitor and that light that Ava produced. Those were things Gula did not know and more than anything he wanted to know the truth on the matter. A glance at Invi reveals she also has questions.

"Gula... Have you ever seen Ava use an attack like that before," Invi asks.

"No."

"What in the world was it? Even Ava herself seemed surprised when she was casting it," Invi says with worry in her tone. "Perhaps we should tell The Master...? He's sure to know what it could have been..."

"What if Ava's right and we can't trust The Master," Gula says before he can stop himself.

"Gula!"

"I mean... He did lie to us about Ava being dead," Gula points out. "Ava has a point about our roles... We tore each other apart, we caused a war... How many people died because of him? Because of us? How many more will die if we follow him again?"

"The war... Was inevitable... You know that Gula. There was nothing we could do to stop it. We have to trust the Master. He wouldn't..."

"Lead us wrong," Gula supplies, a frown on his face. "Fine... Let's tell the Master about the weird attack Ava did. Just... Forget I said anything. I'm worried about Ava."

"I am too," Invi agrees with a sigh. "She's... Never acted like this before. What in the worlds happened to her? Did those... Liars! Really get in her head so entirely that she thinks they're more important than The Master... More important than us?"

Gula isn't sure how to respond to Invi's question, he understands, he does. Ava being gone hurts. Hurts him more than he can say. He knows the truth, the truth Invi isn't ready to hear. The truth that drove Ava down this current path, but it doesn't make it hurt any less. He would rather have Ava with him than have her off somewhere doing who knows what. Even if he knows that what she's doing is for the best and that she's out there doing what's right. He sighs.

"She... Thinks she's doing what's right," Gula answers. "You know how Ava is... Once she thinks she's doing the right thing, nothing can stop her. We just... Need to be patient with her. Sooner or later things will work out."

He leaves out the fact that things working out, in this case, means that they'll be with Ava against The Master. Invi isn't ready for that. Not yet. She believes so firmly in The Master. Gula doesn't. The Master told him to trust no one, and that includes The Master as far as Gula is concerned. Especially after the war and all the lives that were lost in it. Ava on the other hand... She's always been there, right from the very moment he became an apprentice she's been his friend and has done the right thing. Ava... Ava, he would trust, until he was given a reason not to trust her. Something he could see with his own eyes.

Ava is the person he trusts, maybe that's foolish, but that's what he is choosing to do. That's what his heart is telling him to do. To trust in Ava and what she knows and what she can do. To trust that even now, Ava is doing the right thing. She's always done the right thing. Now can't be any different. Gula refuses to believe that now is any different. Invi opens a portal back to the castle and Gula sighs, taking a look around one last time before following her through it. He just wants Ava to be safe. If that means going against The Master, going against the others, and lying once again... Well, that's what he'll do. For Ava.

The portal leads right into the hallway outside The Master's room, it seems Invi is very serious about wanting to tell the Master about the strange light they had to deal with. She knocks on the door and the two wait for a moment. Soon enough he opens the door, tilting his head at the sight of the two of them.

"Back so soon," he questions, stepping aside to let them into the room.

"We had... An encounter with Ava and something concerning happened," Invi explains. "She... Released this large blast of light, it took out an army of heartless and her two attackers. It also seemed to have healed us of our injuries and replenished our magic... I've never seen Ava perform such a feat before and we were... Concerned."

The Master goes still, Gula watches him carefully as he stands there, still and serious, as if he's thinking very hard about something. The Master shakes his head, walking over to his desk and picking up the book there. Quickly he flips through the pages, muttering something quietly under his breath as he does. Gula and Invi exchange worried glances... If this was how The Master was reacting... Could it be that not even he knows what the light that Ava released was? Finally, The Master shuts the book, looking back at the two of them.

"She did this in order to protect the two of you I'm guessing." It's more of a statement than a question but Gula and Invi nod. "Then there's nothing to worry about. When someone wants something... Wants it deeply enough that they'd risk their own existence to get it, they can perform amazing acts. Ones that they normally would never be able to do. That's what Ava did. Her heart wanted to protect you so much it risked itself to allow Ava to perform a spell to protect you. It's unlikely she'll be able to do such a feat a second time."

Invi nods, accepting what the explanation offered by The Master easily but Gula feels suspicious. The Master is leaving something out, he's sure of it, but he has no way to figure out if he's correct. He already pushed his luck questioning The Master to Invi earlier. There's no way he will continue to press it by openly questioning what The Master is telling them in front of The Master. He would just have to wait and see if perhaps Ava manages to perform that feat again. Then point out the inaccuracy to Invi and hope that she'll begin to question as well.

"Now," The Master says, waving his hand dismissively, "You two should get back to trying to bring Ava home. The fact she was so willing to risk her heart for you is a good thing. You two may be the only hope fo getting through to her and bringing her back home."

"Yes Master," the two foretellers say before letting themselves out of the room. Gula doesn't trust the Master, but staying with Invi will keep Ava safe, so that's what he's going to do. He opens the portal this time and hopes, with all his heart, they find Ava quickly.

Far away from the two Foretellers looking for Ava, Ventus gets a phone call. He answers quickly, blinking in surprise at the devastation on display from the other side of the call. Sora looks slightly distressed.

"Sora, what happened," Ven asks with worry as everyone else crowds around the phone to get a look.

"Xigbar showed up with some guys in animal masks," Sora explains. "They took Lauriam and Elrena and almost took Streletizia but she woke up in time to fight them off."

"It must have been Aced and Ira," Ava says with a frown. "We encountered Invi and Gula, so those two are the only ones it could have been. You said they took Lauriam and Elrena?"

"They did," Sora says. "They tried to take Streletizia too but she didn't let them."

Ava clenches her hands into fists, trying her best to keep her temper in control. It isn't Aced and Ira's fault, not really, they're being deceived, The Master and Luxu are using their loyalty to the Master against them. They don't know the truth. Not like she does. Not like Gula does. She'll have to make them see the truth somehow, some way. She has to save them from the lie of a life they are living. Even if it kills her she'll see this set right.

"We need to find out where they are," Ava says coolly. She can't allow the children to know how she's feeling. She can deal with her emotions on her own time, right now she needs to be strong for those around her. Be the leader she was trained from birth to be. "We need to find out where The Master and the other foretellers are staying... Meaning we're going to have to confront Invi. Gula will probably just tell us if we asked, meaning we need to separate the two. Get them apart so I can talk to Gula."

"They'll be following us right," Kairi asks. "So we just need to wait for them to show up again on whatever world we go to. Then, we'll work to get them separated and you can talk to Master Gula and find out where the Master is holding everyone."

"That's the plan," Ava agrees, taking a deep breath as she drums her fingers against her leg. As much as she wants to talk to Gula again she wishes it wasn't to ask him to do something as dangerous as this. She wants him safe... That's why she let him go back with the others. That's why she came up with the plan of him staying with The Master. This would ruin that plan. The Master would know who betrayed him in an instance. It was necessary. There's no doubt about that. But that didn't make the worry Ava feels lessen. That doesn't make it any easier to think about. She doesn't want Gula in danger. She doesn't want anyone getting her because of her, but especially not Gula.

"We're approaching another world," Aqua says. "Is there any way you can make yourself more obvious to them, so they can find you easier?"

"There is one way," Ava says hesitantly. "I just... Was hoping to avoid doing it, opening the connections between myself and the other foretellers, connections I've been keeping closed off so they can't find me as easily as they normally would... It would allow them to find me almost immediately."

"Then that's what we'll have to do," Terra says simply.

"Let me land the gumiship and then we'll find a good place for you to do that," Aqua says calmly as they come up to the new world. It's a beautiful world, with mountains and jungles and llamas grazing in fields, Ava feels bad about the chaos she's about to bring into this world. Aqua sets the gumiship down in a slightly clearer part of the jungle and Ava sighs as she disembarks.

"We should move away from the ship," Ava says. "We don't want to risk it getting destroyed in the ensuing battle."

"Are you sure you'll be okay," Kairi asks. "You were really upset about having to leave them behind earlier and..." She trails off.

"I... I don't wish for you to fight Invi," Ava admits. "I don't want her getting hurt, this isn't the same as with Luxu... Invi is a dear friend and does not know the truth of what's going on. I also do not want to risk any of you getting hurt while fighting her. She will not hold back in her attacks."

"We can handle her," Vanitas sneers. "You focus on what you need to do with Gula and we'll keep Invi away long enough for you to do that."

The group starts walking away from the gumiship, Ava's right, they shouldn't risk it in the fight they're about to have with Invi. They trust that when Ava has what she needs from Gula she'll come aide them in the battle against Invi, even if she would rather avoid fighting her friend. Once Ava is sure they're far enough from the ship she stops walking, and so does everyone else.

"You should all take cover," Ava suggests. "A surprise attack is more likely to work than trying to take her head-on."

As her little group disperses into the surrounding jungle Ava frowns, pink eyes darting about as she prepares. After a moment she takes a breath and opens her heart, the connections spark to life. Far across the worlds the other Foretellers and Luxu pause in what they're doing at the feeling of a tug on their hearts.

"Heh," Luxu mutters, "Just what is it that you're up to, Ava?"

Gula and Invi jump into action, opening a portal right to follow the feeling.

"Do you think she's come to her senses," Invi asks as they arrive not far from where they can sense Ava.

"Perhaps," comes Gula's response. Behind his mask, his eyes are darting about nervously. His outward calm is just a show to keep Invi form knowing that he's confused about why Ava would do such a thing when she's explained to him why she won't come back. There's no reason he can think of that she would take such a risk as to invite her pursuers to her very location without a thought on the matter.

Ava's standing alone in the clearing, she looks tired, and when she spots Gula and Invi she closes off the connections in her heart. There's not as much need for them now when the two people she was attempting to get to come have answered her call. The air is tense as they approach, Ava fidgets, guilt rising in her heart at what she's going to do.

"Ava,"  Invi says as soon as they're close enough to talk to each other. "Are you ready to come home?"

"I'm sorry," Ava says, shaking her head no as she summons her keyblade. "That's not what this is at all." In a flash of light, there's suddenly two Ava's and they take off in different directions.

"Damn it," Gula mutters, "We're going to have to split up."

"Be safe," Invi says with a nod of agreement before chasing after one of the two. Gula starts slowly after the other but doesn't make it far before Ava becomes visible again, grabbing onto his arm.

"That was a mean trick," Gula says with a shake of his head.

"I needed to get you away from her, so we could talk."

The sound of rustling in the jungle reminds Ava that the rest of her group will be going after Invi to keep her busy. As much as Ava would love to take her time and talk to Gula she knows that's not an option. She needs to keep this quick. She sighs, letting go of Gula's hand and clenching her hands into fists, which shake. Gula grabs her hands, holding them lightly.

"What's wrong,"  he asks, worry clear in his tone. His mask hides most of his face but he's frowning. Ava sighs again, looking down at the ground.

"I need... I need to know where you and the others are staying Gula... The Master had Luxu kidnap some of the remainders of my Dandelions. I won't let him keep them."

"Ava! You aren't planning what I think you are, are you?" Gula's voice trembles, he tightens his grip on Ava's hands, but she pulls her hands away, keeping her gaze anywhere but Gula's mask-covered face. This was more difficult than she was expecting it to be. Of course, Gula would be worried about her doing something like this. This was dangerous. It was walking into the lion's den. It was not something Ava would normally do. But it was what she was going to do. It's what she has to do. Even if she doesn't like the idea. She's sure this is what she has to do.

"Yes," Ava says, voice steady and calm, but her shaking hands betray her true emotions. "I'm going to launch an attack against the Master."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gulava in my spite fic? It's more likely than you'd think. 
> 
> Sorry, this took so long! I'll try to get the next chapter out quicker than this one was. Geez.
> 
> Next time: Invi's in a battle with Ava's group. Gula and Ava make a plan of attack. An escape plan is hatched.


End file.
